I Walked A Lonely Road
by Stargazer831
Summary: Grown-up Baelfire follows the purple smoke back to town where he seeks the help of the sheriff to help find his father and save him. Emma finds herself in to deep, can Baelfire save her before it's too late and save his father at the same time? Baelfire/Emma a little Rumple/Belle
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: This little story popped up in my head on Friday because we were talking about Emma possibly getting a new love interest next season and we were throwing around ideas of Gold, and I am against that because I'm a diehard Rumbelle fan (I know I still have to finish Lost Ones … I promise it's my summer goal) So this is if Baelfire came back to town as an adult, it is my little SwanFire one shot. Yes August is wood in this fic, and I left Baelfire's description a bit up to the reader so in case he does come in next season I don't have to re-write everything. I do like writing Emma she is a very layered character so I might continue this, we'll see! I do not own Once Upon A Time or the Green Day line I used. Much love to all the Oncers, thanks for reading, and enjoy…**

**I Walk A Lonely Road, the Only Road I Have Ever Known**

Once upon a time the magic bean brought him into this world through a green vortex, alone and scared, but not without courage and wisdom. These people, this place was all so new and strange. He wasn't going to follow his destiny; pretend he didn't see the purple smoke, feel the magic as it brushed past his skin making the hair on his arms stand on end. But something drew him back to this place.

Storybrooke, Maine.

The man, the boy, had nutmeg brown hair that fell just past his ears, the hair matched his dark brown eyes, and facial hair replaced the boy's once smooth face. A farm boy's build but not quite on the tall side, and though he only look to be in his late thirties he stopped counting his real age long ago.

"Papa" he whispered parking the old car at the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign. He pulled one of the cables out from underneath the steering wheel and threw it on the side of the road. He wanted to stay here. He needed to stay here. Hope was here.

The first place he spotted was a little dive bar. The place looked packed tonight. Even the sheriff was here judging from the patrol car outside. After asking around the bar he found out it was a girl that was sheriff, Emma Swan. He sat down next to Leroy, the drunken janitor dwarf that informed him that not only was she the sheriff but had saved them and broken an awful curse a few weeks back. Baelfire wondered what kind of magic she possessed that she could break a curse? He hoped that she could help him with what ailed his father. He made his way over to the group of dancing girls as the techno music in the background provided a steady thumping beat.

"So, which one of you is the Sheriff?" Baelfire called out over the music as he walked up to the three center girls on the dance floor. Ruby and Ashley were dancing on either side of Emma and her back was to him. The three were having a celebration of sorts. Mr. Gold had been working on helping Emma obtain paperwork to adopt Henry back and today she received good news.

"I'm not interested "Emma said turning around her flowing blonde hair bouncing against her red jacket. Ruby and Ashley whispered in each other's ear about the man standing in front of them.

"This isn't really my kind of dancing; I'm more for waltz and ballad numbers, Bryan Adams and such. So, Dear, you going to help a stranded man? My automobile is out by the Storybrooke sign, battery's dead" he told her watching the beautiful sheriff's facial expression turn from upset to inquisitive.

"Aren't you a little young to be using such archaic terms?" Emma asked as he followed her outside so they could talk a bit more where she could hear him.

"I'm older than I look" he said giving her a sideways half cocked smile.

Emma looked at him; she saw something very familiar in him, something she couldn't place.

"My car is over here, I could give you a lift back to Granny's B&B and call Billy at Franklin's towing, but first why don't you tell me your name and what you are doing here?"

Baelfire smiled "my name is Ace, Ace Hughes" well it was this week at least, ironic that the son of Rumplestiltskin would go by many names in his lifetime. A new town, a new name was his motto.

After the whole purple smoke, end of the world, Henry almost dying after eating a poisoned apple from another portal type thing Emma was a bit weary of Ace. The last stranger she met is now a wooden statue in the back of Marco's shop.

"Ok, Ace, if that's your name" Emma started with the questions as the two walked down the street towards the car. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a business deal, someone a long time ago made me a promise, I'm here to collect on" Baelfire said trying not to give her too much information. He was kind, but not trusting of others. He had been around too long and known too many people that tried to dupe him.

"All business then?" Emma asked Baelfire, but he kept his mouth shut trying to think of the right thing to say to the beautiful savior in front of him. She reminded him of Maurine.

She wasn't afraid of him. Just the opposite this woman in front of him wanted to know more and that kind of human companionship scared him a bit, people get used to being alone, he had.

"Look, forgive me for the questions but I'm the sheriff, it's my job, and some crazy shit has gone down here in the past month. You are the first new person that's come into town in months, so forgive me for being callus but I'm trying to protect this place." Emma belted out like a song, watching him from the corner of her eye as they walked along; making sure her gun was ready just in case. She didn't want to be the hero but she was and is.

"You don't get very many visitors here, do you?" Baelfire asked wondering just whom else stumbled upon this place.

"One since I came to town eight months ago. None in … None out. Let's just say this place is off the grid, which makes me wonder" Emma said pulling her gun out and pointing it at him.

"Who are you suppose to be? The Frog Prince? Tom Thumb? Though you're no athlete still a bit too tall for Tom. One of the queen's guards?"

He shook his head and held his arms up "Please don't shoot, look I'll tell you but you won't believe me… My real name is Baelfire"

"Doesn't ring a bell and I've been over Henry's book several times" Emma said the gun still pointed his direction. "Regina put you up to this?"

"I don't know who Regina is or what book you're talking about. Is it Grimm or Anderson? I'm not in those or any book much because my father was still good when I knew him. He wasn't "Baelfire didn't know how to explain it except for the truth. He was a pure soul after all.

He leaned against the trunk of the sheriff's squad car, Emma stood in front of him still holding the gun, and not exactly sure she could trust him yet.

"Hundreds of years ago, in our real land, the knights took kids away to fight in the Orge war. My father already lost my mother and he was scared of loosing me, so it took the power of the Dark One. He used his power for good… He walked out into the field and stopped the Org war saving my friends and myself, but it did something to him, changed him. I wanted to stop him so I made a deal with him. I wanted to cure him so he could be my father again. I asked the blue fairy for help and she gave me a magic bean. I used it, thinking my father and I could travel together to a land without magic where we could be safe together, but he broke his part of the deal and I got stuck here alone. Because of the magic or maybe because I wasn't from this world I didn't age. I was trapped as a kid working in factories, school, in wars, whatever I could do to survive until…"

"Let me guess… 28 years ago" Emma said putting her gun back in the holster she leaned against the trunk of the car next to him.

"I know what its like" she said listening to how alone he was, trying to hold back tears remembering all those years before Storybrooke, alone herself.

"Try living like that for a century. I've been all over the globe. I knew there was trouble because I saw the purple smoke, and others around me didn't… No one else saw. You know how crazy that could make a person? So I had to follow where it came from, because I knew it was a sign. Something lead me here to this place. "Baelfire said inching a bit closer to Emma, putting him dangerously close to her comfort zone.

Emma glanced his way "was it the purple smoke?" She smirked.

Baelfire gave her a half crooked smile. "I saw your vehicle. I thought I'd go to you first, savior. Thought you could help me find him, but if not" Baelfire turned thinking if she wasn't going to help him then he'd have to search the town alone.

"Wait, I'm sorry. I didn't know… no one ever… " Emma said grabbing his arm preventing him from moving. She needed to know more, wanted to feel what he felt and wanted to know who this stranger was.

Baelfire looked down at the firm soft hand around the upper part of his arm, her fingers leaving smooth indents in his brown leather jacket. This was the first and only human contact he had in years, and he wanted it to last.

She released the grip on his jacket and he took a step back towards her.

"I couldn't tell anyone where I was from… who I was … I wanted to hate him for making me feel" Baelfire looked into her deep blue eyes reflecting off the moonlight.

"Abandoned" Emma said. She wondered if this is how Henry had felt without her.

She could feel everything he felt because she was him, until Henry found her.

In that moment she found a kindred spirit.

He took the final step towards her.

"Alone" he whispered as his lips met hers. He just wanted to feel something, anything, and she was something warm against his cool lips.

Emma had Henry, and her mother and father back, so why was she being so selfish? She wanted more, this stranger, fueled her flame. Just _one more kiss and we won't be alone_ she thought.

"Baelfire" she whispered as they pulled away. Emma looked into his dark brown eyes, and in that moment everything clicked in her mind. All the puzzle pieces of his story fit together perfectly. Gold wanted to help Emma with adopting Henry back because of his own son, _that must be it_ she though.

"You were a kid. You're Gold's son, the Dark One is Rumplestiltskin. He's here" Emma assured him. Baelfire felt such deep warmth in that moment knowing not only could he finally be home after years of being alone but that maybe this town would be different.

Once upon a time Baelfire felt alone, not so much tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: Computer got fried (along with my 9000 words for Lost Ones *sigh*) So I wrote this next part on my IPhone, I apologize for any grammar errors, etc. I do not own Once Upon A Time, KISS, Teen Wolf, Wizard of Oz, or anything or anyone else I mentioned I just like the idea of #SwanFire. Thank you for all your story alerts, favorites and reviews please keep them coming it looks like this will be more than one chapter, so I lied! Also, no I'm not implying that Baelfire is Henry's father but I do love when characters meet and they don't even know it, also I'm excited next season the writers said we may get to see some flashback of Emma growing up so I thought was thinking about that and wrote the next part…**

**When I Come Around**

**Flashback**

Tallahassee, Florida

Twenty year old Baelfire has been crashing with a few homeless guys down the street passing through town. He did not like the bombs and war of this modern time period but he did like the new custom of Halloween. He knew he was too old for the children's custom but it somehow made him feel more at home, especially when he saw someone dress as a fairy or witch. He dawns a Teen Wolf mask along with a red and blue plaid long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of LA Gear shoes before venturing into the night.

Seven year old Emma Swan dressed as Dorothy walks down the street. She carries a full basket of candy in her little hands excited to get back to her foster family. She can see the porch light of her family's house just down the street, almost home. Two punk teens dressed in KISS costumes step out from behind the bushes. "Hey Dorky give me your candy" said the one dressed as the Starchild. He grabbed a hold of one of her braided pig tails. The little girl slapped the teen's hand away. "No, it's mine" she said defensively. "I said give it" he grabs both her pig tails now and she drops the basket of candy. The Catman picked up the basket of candy. "What are you going to do? Use your magic red shoes to call up a Tin Man to fight for you?" the Starchild snorted. "Good one" the Catman laughed. "I don't believe in magic, but I can do this" Emma said picking her little foot up and slamming the red sparkly tap shoe down as hard as her little foot could on the Starchild's left foot. ""Ow! You little punk" he said pulling his arm back he was about to take a swing at the little girl. Emma's eyes weren't on Starchild though; she was staring up above their heads at someone dressed in a wolf mask. Baelfire gave a mighty howl from behind the KISS members. Starchild turned about to take a swing at Teen Wolf instead. Baelfire ducked and Starchild's swing missed him and his fist landed smack on Catman's arm instead. "Jerk" Catman said. Baelfire grabbed the back of Starchild's leather jacket pulling him away from Emma. He gave him a good kick in the back of the leg so the kid stumbled. "Let's get out of here Blake" Catman screamed still latched onto the candy. Starchild, Blake, took a minute to recover, glancing to see the wolf's next move. Baelfire could tell he wasn't used to having the bullying done to him. "Come on" Starchild said to Catman. He spit at the ground in front of Baelfire. "FREAK" he yelled and Catman laughed. Baelfire took a step towards the Catman. "Ah, let's go" Catman said not the fighting type. The Catman and Starchild started to run down the street with the basket of candy laughing and high fiving.

Baelfire knelt down next to Emma. "Hey Dorothy you were pretty brave there, gave those wicked monkeys a run for their money" he said in a muffled voice because of the mask. "Thanks" she sniffed trying to pick up her crushed candy. She wasn't afraid of the wolf man in front of her. She touched his mask feeling the faux whiskers and fur. "They'll be mad if I don't bring candy home, especially Terry." Emma told her wolf. Terry was Emma's father of the week, a drunken buffoon that kept her and a few other kids around for the weekly check. Of course she wasn't afraid of the wolf; the real beast was at her home he thought. Baelfire looked down at the bag of candy in his hand; there went his dinner for the night he thought as he handed the bag to Emma. "Here, and never forget you're stronger than you look. You're not a coward" he said feeling something very special about this girl. "I saw you almost take down the first guy yourself." Baelfire commented to her, wishing she could see his smile through the mask but he could not risk getting close to people. He had a mission and had to move on in the morning. Emma smiled taking the candy "thank you… "

"Fox, Michael j. Fox" Baelfire said howling as he got up and started to walk the opposite way "Bye Dorothy" he said.

Emma waved bye to him. She never told anyone about that Halloween but she never forgot.

* * *

**10:15 PM - Present Day**

Emma opened the passenger side door of the sheriff's patrol car. "Come on Ace" she smirked rather liking that name for him.

Baelfire willingly got into the front of the car as Emma got in on the driver's side.

"You ready? I could always drop you back off at the edge of town. You still have the choice to leave" Emma said staring at the road ahead of them. How many times had she almost left? Once. Twice. Three times.

"Would you?" Baelfire asked looking over at her as the vehicle turned off Main Street and onto Second, the street lights reflecting off her face as they drove on.

"I never had a choice in leaving" Emma could feel her wall creeping back up, she sighed and added "just because we shared a moment doesn't mean I have to tell you my life story."  
"Shouldn't it? Whom better to tell then a stranger" Baelfire fires back at her watching her hands grip the steering wheel just a little tighter. He wasn't going to let her creep back under her rock and hide from the world. She might not need him but he was here now, a lost soul for her to rescue.  
"But you're not a stranger. You are Gold's son from the other... Our world" Emma said hesitantly reminding herself she was a fairytale character too.  
"Care to fill me in on that?" Baelfire asked "why Storybrooke is here at all"

"I think that's a question best left for the Wizard" Emma said her mind wondering on Oz for some reason. "Gold or Rumplestiltskin whoever he is brought the magic back and at least had a part in creating Storybrooke." Emma said trying to sum up what happened the best she could.

Emma parks the car in front of a few older houses.

Baelfire gets out and takes a moment to look around at the grand houses in front of him. He starts to make his way towards a house down the street. Emma whistled to him as he approached a dark blue eerie house next to a lighter colored one. "This house" she said pointing to the pink one. The house almost looked bright pink now with the fresh coat of paint and all the lights on. The house looked like it glowed, warm and welcoming. He stood there at the sidewalk taking the house in. "Pink?" he questioned eyebrow arched in a disapproving manner. He figured it was a joke and she was playing some sort of trick on him.

"Belle likes to call it salmon; it's a fresh coat too. Believe me a month ago it looked like the most haunted place on the block" Emma told him looking at the house herself.

If Belle had made it look inviting then Baelfire would make it look like home, if he stayed.

"Belle" Baelfire repeated the name "who is she?"

"She was a princess, story goes she was part of a deal to stay with him forever" Emma said leaving out the part where Regina had her locked up for years.

"And now?" Baelfire wondered what she was doing living with his father.

"He's her guardian, she lives there and works as his maid and in his pawn shop, and well they are..." Emma quite didn't know how to explain their relationship in Storybrooke.  
"Together?" he asked thinking it was a bit odd his father letting her in to his house without cutting her tongue off or turning her into a snail.  
"That's a good way to put it.. Boyfriend and girlfriend doesn't really suit what they are" Emma sighed, all this fairytale real world was a bit to take in sometimes.

The sheriff took a pen out and scratched some numbers on a piece of paper.

"Sheriff's office number and I wrote Granny's B&B address on there just in case" Emma said sticking the piece of paper out to him. He took it and glanced at it a moment before putting it in his pocket. Emma thought then how different he truly was from men in this world. Her bail bonders would always nip at her ankles for her real number, which she never gave out. She just wished she could help him more.  
"My father did not change that much did he?" Baelfire asked sounding like a child about to be grounded for staying out too late.  
"I'm not sure, truthfully I was only a baby in the other world, but that's a story for another day." Emma wished she could give him more information about Gold but without Henry's book she was without a rudder.

"Be strong. You made it to the door. He made a lot of deals, some good, some bad, and this one with the purple smoke but maybe you should ask him about that" Emma said put her hand on his shoulder and gave a little reassuring squeeze. Baelfire's dark brown ancient eyes met her crystal blue eyes again and a moment pasted between them.

"I think this is something you have to do on your own. Good luck Ace" Emma said finally releasing her hand from his shoulder.

"You can call me Bae" he said wanting at least her to know his nickname if his father and him got into a fight and he didn't come out on the winning side.

"I think I like Ace better" Emma smiled as she turned walking back to the patrol car.

* * *

Baelfire's stomach was filled with butterflies for the first time in a century.

The bright lights of the salmon color house did look inviting which was strange thinking of his father's house being welcoming instead of dark and closed off. He approached the door lifting his hand up to the doorbell but instead he decided to knock on the big wooden and glass door. A few moments past and a shadow could be seen on the other side.

Belle opened the door, wearing a blue and white sundress her brunette curly hair dancing around her shoulders. She smiled at him. "Hi! Can I help you?" she asked looking at him and then looking around a bit to make sure no one else was around.  
Baelfire could see what his father saw in this princess. She was beautiful but also seemed to have a kindness about her.

"I'm looking for Mr. Gold, we have a deal." Baelfire said giving her the half truth.

"Oh? This late?" Belle asked the moon high in the sky.

"It took me a while to find the place, sheriff helped me" Baelfire answered as Belle gave him a questioning look knowing everyone in town knew where Gold lived.

"I'm Belle and you are?" Belle said stepping aside. She wanted to take a better look at him in the light of the grand foyer.

Baelfire smiled back at Belle, the girl was very enchanting "I'm sorry Belle forgive my manners, I'm…"

"Baelfire" a voice said from the doorway of the study.

* * *

**Will it be a happy reunion? Thank you for reading, we'l soon find out... **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: I'm sorry for the time between chapters! I have three written, lots of drama in the works but it's taking me a while to convert to doc format because my computer is still broken (sadness) so when I get a chance I will post more. Thank you so much everyone for the great reviews and story alerts! As usual I do not own Once Upon A Time, Green Day's song title, or anything else I quote. This one is a little short just a little father son bonding time before we get into the drama…**

**Coming Clean**

"Baelfire" Mr. Gold said from the hallway. Leaning on the cane he took a

moment to take the man in front of him in. Belle looked from father to son as the two both took hesitant steps towards each other.

"Papa" the man said with shaky voice. Gold was very cautious after being

taken advantage of by August. "Is it really you? You look so old" Mr. Gold asked coming closer to Baelfire.

"It's me." Baelfire gave his father's famous half crooked smile "It really is me Papa"

"I didn't know where to find you son" Gold said in a shaky voice, and it was the truth, without magic he had no compass to even know his son was here.

"I was looking for you, searching everywhere, until I saw the odd purple smoke oozing out the corners of the world. Funny thing is no one else around me saw it." Baelfire grabbed at his father's chest pulling the man closer to him. Anger erupted in him after all this time his father was still a coward and could not do anything without magic. "YOU BROUGHT THE MAGIC DIDN'T YOU FATHER?"

"TO FIND YOU" Gold hissed back to his grown up son looking for answers after all these years.

"And you are still a coward" Baelfire released his grip on his father.

"Stop it, both of you" Belle said walking in between them. "Can't you see this whole world is for you?" Belle asked Baelfire "this was his biggest deal and it was for you!" The two men looked at each other so many questions still left to ask and so many answers that would go unanswered. When Belle was convinced the two would not kill each other she excused herself "I'll go fetch some tea" she said going into the kitchen.

"I used to be so angry with you" Baelfire said sitting across from him in the

parlor. Mr. Gold nodded "Bae, you have every right to be mad at me forever"

"I was. Part of me still is. I spent a long time angry at you. I was a scared boy. This world didn't have trolls or dragons but it did have horrors." Baelfire told his father of the countless wars and countries he had been too.

"Belle was right about what she said. I made a deal with the evil Queen. She thought it was all her doing but I tricked her" Gold said making a hand motion and sounding slightly a bit more like Rumple at this point telling the story "this place, Storybrooke, I conjured to find you. I never cared about Regina and her happily ever after. Snow White and Charming were just pawns" Gold said finally happy to at least admit why he had made the deal with Regina to the one person it mattered most to.

"I still don't understand. You brought magic here to the place that's not supposed to have any" Baelfire said. "Does Belle know? Does she know about the dagger? It would work now wouldn't it? With the magic back? Where'd you hide it Papa?" Baelfire wanted to know everything.

"That's enough Bae. There will be time to answer it all" Gold said sternly as Belle came back in with the tea. Three white and blue tea cups rested on the tray, the forth chipped cup had a special place on the mantel. Her smile changed both their moods. She sat next to Rumple and started to pour the tea.

"Baelfire, you have a place here in town?" Belle asked always the polite host.

She had been locked in a dungeon and kept in the basement and still she managed to be the brightest thing in this world Gold thought as she poured the tea.

"Sheriff gave me this address, a Granny's Bed and Breakfast, sounds like a nice place." Baelfire said.

Belle took a sip of tea and gave Gold her famous doe eyed head tilt to the side look.

"You'll be staying here" Gold said. "I might be a coward and a monster son but I am still your father."

Belle smiled knowing it took a lot for Gold to play house. She stood up and kissed him on the top of his head. He wouldn't let her lips meet his afraid of losing magic but she still showed compassion towards him. "I'll go turn the sheets in the room across from mine" she said leaving the room.

"You have different rooms?" Baelfire asked that seemed very old fashioned for how close Emma said they were.

"I like my space" Gold replied simply.

The two said their goodnights to each other; much was still left in the dark. The dagger, the dark one, and the savior would come into play later but for the moment Gold was happy the real Baelfire was here.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: I do not own Once Upon a Time or anything else. Thank you so much for your reviews and alerts! Just a little Belle moment because I love her so, yes I know it's an Emma story we'll get back to the swan princess soon enough, I promise**

* * *

**Peacemaker**

Baelfire slept late, all the travel and words with his father had taken a lot out of him. He got dressed and made his way slowly downstairs. Gold was not there but Belle was in the small library going through books. He politely tapped on the door. "Good afternoon" he said as she looked up from her spot on the floor.

"Oh you're up; we thought you'd sleep a whole day. Before you go snooping around for your father he's not here, went to see some nuns about rent. I usually go to the pawn shop or library, but he didn't want you to be alone. Are you hungry? I could fix you a sandwich." She said as Baelfire gave her a hand up.

"Thanks, sometimes I get so wrapped up in reading myself I totally forget lunch" she said with a kind smile.

The two made their way into the kitchen.

"Belle, I'm looking for a certain object of my father's, do you know where he would keep something if he wanted it hidden?" Baelfire asked the girl.

Belle shook her head "no, but he's so secretive sometimes, do you know he won't even kiss me since magic came back into town. He's afraid"

Baelfire gave a little huff sitting at the table "sounds like him, so why not run away then? You aren't bound here are you?" Belle seemed like an intelligent girl that could command her own way in the world.

"Because, I love him" Belle said simply.

Baelfire thought his father must love her too then to keep the temptation around so close.

"In our world I was trapped by a marriage proposal I didn't want. My father sought him out to make a deal to save my kingdom from a great battle. He made a deal with my father. The deal was me so I offered to go freely, because I wanted to be the heroine. I had been looking for adventure and I found it, unfortunately I traded one dungeon for another at first. I hated him, and he hardly spoke a word to me but after several moons something changed in him. Love is layered Bae, I learned there is more than one way to be a hero. It's a long story, I hope one day he can tell you his side."

Belle pulls some tuna sandwiches out the fridge and puts them on the table. She sat down on the other side of the table. "He never forgot you, did you know that? He maybe a coward but he never forgot either of us. He kept a box of your clothes and things just waiting for you to return in his castle. Even in this world. There is an old ball I'm guessing belonged to you. He keeps it in the shop but won't sell it."

"My ball" the Baelfire gave a slight smile "it was my favorite." He had a

moment of realization that his father was a coward and the dark one but could still be saved. "I have to find that dagger. I have to get the darkness out of him. Belle, I want my father back."

"I would look in his cabin or near there. It's on the southwest side by the toll bridge. If something was hidden that's where it would be. That's why you came back?" Belle asked with a gulp.

"I don't want to hurt him, I want to find a way to use its power without.."Baelfire wasn't sure what he was going to do but he thought of someone that could help him.

"Whatever you do Bae, stay away from Regina. Your father is not the dark one

compared to the horrors she has conjured." Belle said hoping he'd heed her word and stay away from the mayor. Regina had only been seen once or twice since the magic came back, but everyone in town feared her still.

Belle thought of fairy tale land "I think we were happy for a moment, and then I met her in the woods. She tricked me knowing where I was heading she said true loves kiss is the most powerful magic it can break any curse. So, I kissed him."

"Did it work?" He had to know if there was another way.

"It was beginning too. But then he pulled away. He knew it was the queen I had ran into, and he thought I was working for her. So I left him with his empty heart and his chipped tea cup. Bae, there is more than one way to be a coward. I should have fought for our love."

"I think that's pretty brave you tried breaking the curse in the first place"

Baelfire said seeing how much of a fierce princess she would have been in their real world. "Well I'm not going to kiss him" Bae said with his father's famous half crooked grin.

Belle laughed "I don't think that will be necessary. Love takes time. One day you won't hate him so much for abandoning you and he won't feel so guilty for doing so. Whatever power or weapon you are looking for just give him a chance." She did not want to lose Rumple after just finding him again.

Baelfire wish he did not know about the dagger but he knew it's what had to be done. "I will look for another way. Thank you, Belle" Baelfire said helping clean the table up.

"You're welcome Bae, and for what it's worth I'm happy your home" Belle smiled picking the dishes up and putting them in the sink.

Home.

The doorbell rang.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: As usual I do not own Once Upon A Time, Wizard of Oz or anything else I quote. Please keep leaving the reviews and alerts it's great to get all the positive feedback from a silly little Twitter idea, thank you everyone! For the purpose of this story again August is MIA as a wood statue. (I know sadness but I don't want this to turn into some Twilight love triangle)**

**"Road to Acceptance"**

Emma and Henry stood at the front door.

Belle gave a hesitant look towards Baelfire, still a little bit afraid to open the door without Gold being back.

She opened the door relieved to see Emma and Henry standing there. "Emma, Henry, come in" Belle said greeting the duo at the door.

"We aren't staying just checking to make sure there wasn't a murder here last night" Emma's said stating the truth of the fact.

"You do care then" Baelfire said with a half crooked look from behind Belle.

Henry looked beyond Belle at Baelfire "I'm Henry" he said with politeness.

"Baelfire, nice to meet you Henry" he said with a smile back coming towards the door.

"We are going to Granny's" Henry added then looked up at his mom with a _can we invite them_ look.

"Belle, would you and Bae like to accompany us?" Emma asked.

Belle looked at Baelfire "I should stay here, but you should go, see some more of the town, and enjoy some ice cream."

"Root beer floats" Henry said with a smile to the princess.

Belle smiled back at the ten year old. She enjoyed sharing books and other old objects with the kid when he came into Mr. Gold's shop. She thought he was very wise for his age and unique to be a product of this world and theirs.

"They still make those things?" Baelfire asked grabbing his black leather jacket and following them to the car.

"Sure, Granny even makes the ice cream homemade" Henry said getting in the car. The story book sat on the seat next to him. Emma asked him to bring it especially for Baelfire.

At the diner Baelfire and Henry sat at a booth while Emma went up to the bar to talk to Ruby.

Henry pushed the story book over to Baelfire as they waited for the drinks. "My mom told me who you are. I think it's great you're back!" Henry said very enthusiastic, but then added with a pang "does this mean Mr. Gold is in trouble?"

"Not sure yet kid, that's why I'm here looking for answers. So, all these stories are real huh?" Baelfire asked flipping through the book.

"All these stories are real." Henry said with the upmost seriousness. "Rumplestiltskin is in several of the stories" Henry said. "But my favorite is Snow White and Prince Charming, they are my grandparents. I hope you get to meet them soon" the child said sounding very proud of his family.

"Is your mom in the book too?" Baelfire asked turning a page wanting to know more about Emma as he glanced over toward the counter area.

Henry shook his head "only one story. She was a baby when the curse started. She grew up here in this world. You were stuck here too, weren't you?"

Baelfire nodded "for too many years. It took lot of trust to let me borrow this book. I bet your mom put you up to it. I promise I'll keep it save. And I'll even make a deal with you" Baelfire said thinking maybe his father had a smart idea about deals at times. He pulled the old Wizard of Oz paperback out his back pants pocket. He slid the wrinkled book across the table. "I guess you could call this my safety blanket, it's very old and I've had it for a very long time. "Reminds me of home, but funny I never really liked it much until I met Dorothy" Baelfire said telling the story of one of his Halloweens down in the southern part of the states looking for his father.

* * *

"So your hot date last night with short handsome and mysterious turned out to be more than a one night stand?" Ruby asked with a smirk coming to take Emma's order.

"I gave him a ride, that's it." Emma said waiting to put her order in.

"Doesn't look like just a ride from here. About time you move on, I hated seeing you all mopey over Graham and then poor August."

Emma shook her head "August and I were… nothing happened Ruby" August would always be an enigma. This man sitting at the table with her son did not have a typewriter but she still had the strange felling he was hiding something. Emma could not get hurt again no matter how good his lips tasted on hers the other night. But, part of her wanted to be close to someone that wasn't her family. And he made her senses tingle.

"Is he… family?" Ruby wondered seeing Henry and the stranger get along; she thought he could be his father.

Emma shook her head "no, not family and especially not Henry's father. Henry's father was for the better term a total jerk. That man sitting over there is Mr. Gold's son. Three floats please"

Ruby looked again "no way! Son? Grown up and very good looking. This place still has secrets doesn't it?" She smiled "If you don't snag him then don't be mad when I bite him" Ruby said jokingly she licked her lips "I am one for the bad boys"

Emma gave her an _ew_ look, sometimes Ruby spoke her mind too much. "What about your favorite customer over there Billy?" She asked knowing the tow truck driver always had an eye on Ruby.

Ruby shrugged "he tips well" she said putting the root beer floats on the counter.

Baelfire and Henry could be heard laughing about something in the background. Emma shifted her gaze back towards them thinking it funny Henry had more in common with this strange man then most of the kids in his class.

"I don't think he is ... Bad, I just think he was lost." Emma said "how much?"

"On the house, Granny's orders" Ruby said with a smile

"Again? She can't keep doing this that was over a month ago." Emma said taking the drinks as Ruby just shrugged.

Emma sat down next to Henry and put the drinks down as Baelfire continued his story. "So, there I was dead of winter, up near what they call Alaska now searching for a portal because I thought the aurora borealis was a sign from our side. Took me a month of searching in the snow before I gave up."

"It's just a reflection from the sun" Emma said sounding like her old non-believing self.

Ruby came over at that moment with a big smile on her face for Baelfire. "Is everyone doing ok over here?" she asked with the almost fake politeness of a veteran waitress.

"Fine" Emma said as Ruby smiled at Baelfire.

"I'm Ruby, and that wonderful lady over there is Granny" she said pointing to Granny behind the counter busy ringing up Mr. Clark.

"Nice to meet you Ruby, I'm Baelfire" he said with the upmost kindness to the waitress.

"Don't be a stranger, if you need anything you let me or Granny know" Ruby said before giving a big smile and going to help Ashley in the next booth over.

"I still think something is up there" Baelfire said taking a sip of the float after Ruby was gone.

"How do you know?" Henry asked.

"Because I believe there is more than here and our land" Baelfire said sounding very serious.

"You sound like Jefferson." Emma said. It took her a lot to believe in magic and in the other world. She was not ready to know about other lands even though Baelfire hadn't been the first to tell her about other places.

"The Mad Hatter from Wonderland" Henry said flipping to the page and showing Baelfire.

"Henry" Emma said giving her son a _lay off it_ look. She didn't want to relive being trapped in his house making hats again.

"Mom, he's better now. He saved Belle remember" Henry said reminding her that Jefferson maybe a spy, but a good one.

"Saved Belle? I thought P... Gold did?" Baelfire asked wondering what else happened.

"Regina had Belle trapped in what Dr. Whale called the psych ward. Jefferson found the code to open the rooms and freed her. He told her to find your father. That was about the time of the crazy purple smoke. Regina went into hiding after that. And here we are" Emma gave a quick smile trying to keep off the touchy Regina subject with Henry but hoping she gave him enough information.

"You forgot the best part. There was a dragon living under the library and you slayed it like Charming did" Henry said with all the enthusiasm of a ten year old almost knocking his float off the table.

Baelfire smiled thinking of Emma with a sword in her hand.

"Anything in here of a girl named Morraine?" Baelfire asked flipping through the book.

"Sister?" Emma asked knowing Rumplestiltskin made a few deals involving children back in the other world.

"No, just a girl in town." Baelfire said with sadness looking over at Emma. How sad those ancient eyes were. Emma felt a pang of jealousy. The secret princess part of her wanted to be the girl the man never forgot.

Emma turned her gaze down from his eyes to something that caught her eye near her son.

"Henry, what's that?" Emma asked knowing he reads many books and comics but has never seen him with that one before.

"The Wizard of Oz, Baelfire is letting me borrow it." Henry said with the excitement of a kid with a new toy.

"You know of it?" Baelfire asked Emma.

"Yeah, hasn't everyone seen it on TV before, they used to show it all the time." Emma said taking a sip of her root beer and adding "I was Dorothy once for Halloween."

"I thought you didn't believe in magic?" Henry asked Emma knowing it took him dying to make her truly believe. "It wasn't about magic, it was about wanting to be somewhere else" Emma explained "Regina was evil but you had a good home. Let's get out of here" Emma said wanting not to bring up the "R" word too much or her sucky childhood in the foster care system. She got up from the booth and went over to say bye to Ruby and Granny.

Henry tugged at Baelfire's arm sleeve as he got out the booth. "She's your Dorothy" Henry said always the little romantic. "Kid that could have been anyone. I've seen a lot of Halloweens" Baelfire responded glancing towards the sheriff at the counter again he wondered if it had been her after all. "But, only one in Florida where she lived" his eyes on his mother and then back on Baelfire.

He shook the notion off that she could have been the little girl. "Come on kid, next you'll say Red Riding Hood is the big bad wolf" Baelfire said waking towards the door.

"She is." Henry said following him out the door.

* * *

"Thanks for letting me borrow the book Henry; I'll protect it with my life." Baelfire said getting out the car in front of Mr. Gold's house. He glanced upon Emma again with those striking blue eyes. "Thanks for the evening out Sheriff" he said politely.

"Hey Ace" Emma said as he popped his head back in the car "you know you can call me if there is any trouble."

He pulled the crinkled up piece of paper out his pocket "got it" he said with a smile wondering if Emma cared about everyone in town this much or was it really just him? Then he was gone back inside the salmon colored estate along with the story book.

Emma looked at her son in the back seat. He looked very concerned at that moment.

"Henry what is it?" Emma said as her son climbed in the front seat.

"If he is here then that means something is about to happen" Henry said as Emma gave him a comforting look.

"Hey that doesn't mean anything, you heard him. He saw the smoke and came to town. Everything is going to be ok. And if something bad does happen I'll stop it" Emma said reassuring her son nothing bad was going to happen again.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: I do not own Once Upon a Time as usual or anything else I quote. Thank you all again for the awesome reviews and more story alerts. We are now coming to the meat of the story, get your tissue boxes out the drama is about to hit the fan hard core in the next few chapters. Enjoy!

**Fairytale land a long time ago...**

Belle sat next to Rumplestiltskin at his spinning wheel. She was a very curious creature and would spend her time asking him questions when not reading or cleaning. Many of these questions he would just shrug off giving her a silly little answer and then giving a little crazy laugh. Today she sat on the stool next to the spinning wheel humming along with the quiet rhythm of the wheel and mending one of Rumple's shirts. She put the needle down and looked over at the man watching his wheel.

"Rumple?" She asked his name in a soft tone not to as disturb him.

"Hmm?" he answered as he kept turning the wheel.

"Is there anything that can hurt you?" Belle asked in all seriousness now.

Rumple stopped spinning and looked at her, his golden eyes wide with excitement now. "Trying to get rid of me" he shook his finger at her "you are stuck here forever Dearie, you won't be able to"

"Why not? What is it you fear? I know you have great power, what is it? A witch? A dragon?" Belle asked wondering

He gave a little laugh again; her thinking he was afraid of a dragon was almost cute. "A shiny pointy thing hidden deep in the forest"

"What if someone finds it?" Belle asked wondering what would happen.

"No one in this world knows about it now, just you and me" he said very sadly as if he was missing someone "so if you ever come at me I'll turn you into a newt" he added cleverly.

Belle gave him her doe eyed held tilt and added "you wouldn't dare, there'd be no one to mend your shirts or make your tea"

"I'd get another girl" Rumple shrugged and added with a smile "maybe one that doesn't break my tea cups"

"You lie, I know good and well there as a deep layer of dust on everything before I got here. The place has never sparkled like it does with me here." Belle said pretty proud of herself for cleaning the place up.

Rumplestiltskin went back to spinning his wheel. "It is disgustingly clean" he said with a smile.

That was that, the world was the same, except for the dagger in the back of Belle's mind and wondering if it was a child or someone else Rumple talked sadly about. She made a mental note to ask him later about the small clothes in one of the west wing rooms.

Laughter could be heard down the hallway as Baelfire followed the sound to the study. He saw Belle and his father caught up in a round of hearts. It was odd watching them; they almost looked as if they really belonged in this world. Instead of him being Rumplestiltskin and her being a tortured princess they were just a happy couple on a Tuesday night playing cards.

"You better stop loosing you still owe me ice cream from last time" Belle said with a smile on her face putting down a card.

Baelfire watched them for a moment entrained by the smiles on both their faces.

"Bae, join us" Gold said seeing him at the doorway. He waved his son over to the table.

Baelfire walked over to them slowly still holding the book in his hand.

"How was the diner?" Belle asked with a smile wondering if his non-date with Emma and Henry went swimmingly.

Baelfire nodded "It was good. Emma seems like a great sheriff and I like Henry. I think we've got a lot in common being lost sons and all."

Belle smiled hearing his tone when he said Emma's name especially.

"He's an amazing young lad. Now join us please, Bae. I can't stand to lose another round to her" Gold said patting the chair next to him at the small card table.

I actually came to talk "Baelfire said as Belle picked up the cards. He sat down in the chair across from his father.

"I can take a hint" Belle said getting up she walked over to Gold and whispered something into his ear and his face turns grim.

"I'm well aware of that Dearie" Mr. Gold nodded as Belle left his side.

Belle looked down at Baelfire before leaving "be kind to him Bae he just lost three rounds" she said with a small smile leaving the two to talk. She closed the door and leaned against it a moment afraid of the outcome.

"I see you have Henry's book." Gold said as Bae put the book down on the table.

"Yeah, seems like you were busy, how much of it am I suppose to believe?" Baelfire asked wondering just want stories were true.

"Hard to say what is in that book, no one knows who wrote it." He said wishing he had the power to find out. It was nothing more than trouble for him. "I hope you make your own judgment son, you always have"

"It's amazing you look like your old self and sound like your old self but I know that evil darkness is still in you" Baelfire said closing the book.

Gold did not know how much his son really knew but knew Bae as a threat and at the same time Bae was a piece of his missing heart.

"Papa what did Belle tell you?" Baelfire wondered just want the princess whispered in his ear.

"She's afraid. She knows my fate. She knows about the dagger and about the power it possesses. And if you are here then that might mean my time here is up." Gold said with a deep sigh.

"Then why'd she tell me about your cabin? Why give your secret away?" Baelfire almost screamed angry at Belle and angry at his father for making him have such a deep burden to bear.

"Because she is a foolish girl who thinks that you'll find a cure for your dear father before you have to use that rusty old dagger" Gold said keeping his cool sounding at that moment moment more like Rumplestiltskin.

"Do you love me? Do you love her?" Baelfire asked. He didn't need Regina or anyone else to tell him the most powerful magic was love, something harder to master than any water spell.

"Yes, of course I do son" Gold said touching his hand to the man's knee cautiously.

Baelfire stood up and took the book "then it doesn't have to be like this, you can give your power up!"

"I cannot! Not while Regina still has her powers. Not while people are after me! Magic is power" Gold said standing up and staring his son down.

Baelfire gave a small huff and walked to the door. He turned and looked at his father "you are still the coward, if you just kiss the girl papa we could be a family again" he said before leaving his father there alone.

From down the hallway in the library Belle heard Baelfire's last words. A small tear escaped her eye and rolled down her face. The words echoed in her head like a bad song…

_Kiss the girl_.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note: I do not own OUAT or Wizard of Oz (that belongs to L. Frank Baum) I have to slip this little part in because I thought of it on the way home and I just love Emma/Henry moments and it might come into play later on…**

* * *

**The Wizard of Oz**

A few blocks at the Swan residence Emma and Henry settled down for story time. Henry snuggled up next to his mother in her bed and handed her the book. Emma wasn't much for books but as of late had become quite good at reading to her son and even did some voices for the characters as well. This fact though was kept a close guarded secret between mother and son for if word got out Emma swore Henry would be grounded in both worlds until he turned 18.

"So who are all these characters?" Henry asked looking at the cover of the book.

"I still can't believe you never heard of this book. It's classic, well at least in this world. Dorothy is in the middle. I guess you could say she's the princess or heroine of this story. On her left is the Scarecrow, and the Tinman next to her, and then on her right is the Cowardly Lion. Huh" Emma said putting a little bit more emphases on the Cowardly Lion part.

"What?" Henry asked curiously as she flipped the book open to the first page.

"It just hit me why Baelfire carries this book with him. He came back to town to help his father, right?" Emma asked Henry.

"Yeah?" Henry answered wondering what his mother was getting at. He was excited that his mother seemed to be finally embracing the magic and believing.

"Mr. Gold left him. He let go of him. He's the Cowardly Lion" Emma said plainly explaining to her son.

"Yeah!" Henry agreed thinking that made perfect sense in his mind. "Does the Lion redeem himself?" Henry asked his mother wondering what happened to the lion in the story.

"We'll have to wait and find out" Emma said with a smile as she started to read…

_ "Dorothy lived in the mistof the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small,__for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty-looking cooking stove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole…"_

After about an hour of reading Henry's eyes were getting tired. He begged his mother for more but Emma said they would continue another night.

"Bedroom now" Emma said to Henry as she shut the book and put it on her night stand.

Henry followed Emma's instructions and lazily went to his bedroom and hopped into bed. Emma followed shortly behind him to say goodnight, another new tradition between mother and son.

Emma kissed the boy on the forehead like she had done in the hospital and every night since then.

"I love you Mom" Henry said as he closed his eyes. Mom. It was still a new word for both of them but each was getting more used to it every day.

"I love you Henry" she said with a smile as she made sure he was tucked in tight.

Emma got up and started to walk out of his room stopping at his door to look back at her son.

"You're Bae's Dorothy" Henry said very sleepily as Emma turned off his light.

"What?" Emma asked not really sure if she heard Henry's words properly but it was too late and her son was fast asleep dreaming of fairytale land.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: I am sorry about the lag of update; my computer is still dead at the moment so I apologize for any grammar errors I tried to edit everything properly but I wrote it on the Iphone so sometimes things get all wobbled around. As always I do not own OUAT or anything else! Thank you all for the story reviews and alerts!**

* * *

**The next morning…**

Baelfire made his way slowly downstairs the next morning afraid to face his father. Mr. Gold had apparently felt the same way because the only one he found in the house was Belle in the kitchen.

"Good morning Ms. Belle" Baelfire said with the politeness of an old gentleman. He had Henry's book with him and he placed it on the table.

"Good morning, Bae. Finish the book?" Belle asked knowing she could not put it down when Henry let her see it.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I couldn't sleep." Baelfire replied sleepily. He took a cup about to pour himself some tea. "I read your story. I wasn't expecting the ending. I knew it didn't turn out good for you but it was tragic. I thought all you princesses were supposed to have happy endings." Baelfire said with sadness in his eyes for his father's princess. Sad there was nothing it seemed to be done.

"Thank you for the empathy, it was tragic in the end but my favorite part is the middle of the story. That was the good part. I see you two more alike the more I see you two together" Belle said thinking they could have killed each other the other night talking but both walked out the room alive which she thought was a small victory for now.

"I'm nothing like him" Baelfire said slamming a tea cup down on the table. The tea cup made a ding noise but did not break.

"Easy Bae, we only have three cups left. And, yes you are. Both have the same temper for one." Belle said with a little chuckle, her smile growing as she talked about Rumplestiltskin. "You may be a braver soul but do not neglect you are your father's son. He wasn't all evil. He was kind like you" Belle poured herself a cup of tea and her smile grew wider thinking about the dark castle. "He gave me a rose once, and it was the kindness gesture I ever got from any beast or prince. I am angry at myself for ever telling you about the woods because it will surely cause nothing but pain for all of us. You have to find another way" Belle urged Bae to think of another way.

"I don't want to hurt him, but I have to do something." Baelfire said in a sad tone as he calmed down. He set the tea set right again fidgeting around. "I suggest you look into getting a new tea set."

"Never, this one is from his castle." It was true, the magic had brought it over from the other world with many of Rumplestiltskin's other possessions. "Have you tried asking the nuns… fairies for help?" Belle asked trying to think of some way that would not hurt either of them.

"I'm afraid of what their answer would be, you see Belle… the magic bean is what sent me to this world in the first place" he said giving the princess the reason he would never ask them for help again. In his eyes they were just as evil as any evil queen.

Belle fixed some flowers in a vase on the table. "Then you are just alike. He hates them, but he never would tell me why, now I know." She said with some reassurance as to that being the case of Rumple's dislike of them in the other world. "Bae, what do you think of these flowers?" Belle asked changing the subject she pushed the vase towards him.

"They're nice flowers, why?" Baelfire wanted to know what she was up too. He could not say he was one to judge one flower apart from the rest, but these looked like wildflowers to him.

"They are from my father's flower shop. I asked him to bring them over this morning." Belle said with a scheming look on her face now.

"For what? Are you saying flowers can help me?" Baelfire wasn't sure what she was getting at, and he was surely in no need of flowers.

"So you can take them to the sheriff. To say thank you and maybe she could help you, find another way." Belle said with a smile. "The only cure I have found is the one he won't let me give him" she sighed. It was the truth; she had gone over every old book and found no way to get the demon out without the dagger or true love's kiss.

Baelfire left with the vase and Henry's book walking the direction Belle instructed him to towards the center of town. Belle looked out the window noticing for more than the first time a strange car parked on the other side of the street.

* * *

"He's leaving the house" the mysterious figure in the car parked on the other side of Second street across from the salmon house said "walking your way in 5!"

Regina clicked the phone off. She made her way outside, something she only risked on special occasion like today. The town was still after her and her only sanctuary had been her house. She was going to get her revenge starting with Rumplestiltskin's new house guest. Belle had not left his house since she returned but soon Regina would find a way to hurt her as well. The Charming family she wanted to save for last so they could watch everyone else in town suffer. Magic was back and although unpredictable she was prepared to use every ounce she had on Storybrooke.

Baelfire made his way from Second street to Main street turning the corner he came up to another row of big beautiful houses.

Regina, dressed in a black and red business suit with a gardening apron over it. Her hands covered in red gardening gloves; she started to pick a few of the plumpest red apples from her tree nearest the fence.

Baelfire walked past her neighbor's front yard and looked Regina's way. "Good day" Regina said waving the strange man over to her. "I'm in charge of this little town. I don't think I've seen you around before. Welcome to Storybrooke" she said with a warm welcome of a politician careful not to give her name.

Baelfire, a little cautious, made his way over to her fence. "Ace Hughes, I'm just visiting some family in town." He replied back to her not giving her too much information either. His father might be the Dark One but part of himself still wanted to protect him. She was a beautiful woman for sure but a little out of place he thought gardening in her outfit.

"Just pruning my award winning apple tree" Regina said with a cheery fake smile.

"It's a very lovely tree" Baelfire said.

The apples were ripe and large since the magic returned to town. The tree was lush and green just waiting to take life.

Regina's smile turned wicked now as she agreed and offered him a prize. "Here have an apple" she said picking a very ripe red one off the tree and handing it to him. He took the apple in his left hand and was about to bring it up to his lips as she watched very eagerly he stopped at the last moment and put the apple in the pocket of his leather jacket.

"I'll save it for later, thanks" Baelfire said with a smile not really feeling hungry at the moment.

Regina chuckled politely "of course save it for dessert, I make wonderful apple turnovers with mine. You'll have to come over one day for dinner."

She spotted Henry's book in his other hand along with a small vase of wildflowers. "Oh, what lovely flowers" she exclaimed at once making sure not to take notice of the story book.

"Thanks they are for the sheriff" Baelfire smiled a bit thinking about Emma subconsciously.

"Here allow me" Regina said walking over to her rose bush she snapped a few roses off and stuck them in the vase with the other flowers. "There perfect!" _Perfect enough for Emma to prick her finger on and die._

"That does look nice" Baelfire replied again not the green finger his father had possessed but they did mess well against the wildflowers.

"Of course it does, they aren't award winning roses for nothing" Regina said a little ticked off that he would think them not look anything but amazing.

"Well I better be off, thank you" Baelfire said and then started to make his way to the sheriff's station again.

Regina waved him off with a wicked smile. It wouldn't be long now. She went back inside to make another phone call.

* * *

Baelfire found the sheriff's station easy enough. An old yellow VW Beetle was parked next to the sheriff's patrol car on the side of the building. The two cars were the only ones in the station parking lot.

He walked in and looked around. The place looked pretty empty. He suspected the Storybrooke station didn't really see that much action.

"Hello? Sheriff? You in here?" Baelfire called out placing the vase of flowers on one of the desks that looked like someone worked there. He set the book down beside it. He sat on the edge of a research table and took the apple out of his pocket. Rolling the apple back in forth in his hands he sighed. "Guess I'm just going to have to enjoy this nice juicy red apple all by myself" he called out as he slowly brought the apple up to his lips.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/U : I don't own OUAT, Disney, Oz or anything else. I apologize about the long wait, finally got computer back but im using some free version of word so i am sorry about any grammar errors I tried to fix them. But here it is, I hope you enjoy, I really am trying to stick to Emma's character I hope I am doing a decent job. Thank you all for the kind story alerts and favorites and reviews! Please keep leaving them! And i'm excited the writers said they might bring Baelfire in season two..so can't wait for September! Now about that apple...**

* * *

Baelfire brought the juicy red apple towards his lips as he opened his mouth...

Emma heard someone calling her name from the main part of the building. She was in the back file room trying to go through some of Graham's old files, _hadn't anyone here heard of a computer database?_ She though to herself as she put the big box of files down. She made her way out the back room and up to her office when she noticed him. Baelfire was sitting on the side a desk looking quite bored. She watched him for a moment thinking in florescent white light he kind of looked like an old movie star, very classy in his black leather jacket, his tasseled brown hair falling perfectly in between his eyes, almost James Dean like. Emma shook the thought off as she saw something red and shiny in his hand. The bad memories of Henry with the apple turnover played back in her mind. She was thankful her office door was open. "HEY, ACE" she called out to him as he turned his head Emma picked the letter opener up. She took a quick breath and swiftly brought the object up and let it go towards him.

Baelfire turned his head releasing his grip on the apple. The letter opener made a small swoosh noise as it cut straight threw the apple. A clink could be heard as the tiny tool hit the wall. The apple laid on the floor. He tried to comprehend what just happened as Emma walked over to him and began to pick up the pieces of the apple and dumped them in the trash can.

"Allergic to apples?" Baelfire said very calmly glancing Emma's way wishing to understand the danger the apple carried. She looked as if she just saw a ghost, all the color had flushed out her rosy cheeks and he wanted to touch her face and bring that rose back, but he left his hands at his side.

"I don't know how long you plan on sticking around but first rule is don't eat the apples" Emma said to him with all seriousness, so relieved she didn't have to go to the hospital again.

"Noted." He jumped off the desk, very spry for an old soul, making his way over to the wall he pulled the letter opener out. "My car is still in the shop and I haven't found the dagger to kill my father yet, so I'll be sticking around." Baelfire said walking back over to Emma he handed her the letter opener.

Emma arched her eyebrow at him; taking the object she placed it on the desk next to the vase of wild flowers and Regina's red roses. "You just confessed you are trying to kill your father in front of the sheriff... I should arrest you on suspect of murder" She picked up Henry's book and placed it in her desk locking the book safety away.

Baelfire shrugged and stuck his arms out, being locked up here with her didn't seem like prison to him.. "I'm not afraid of being locked up" _with you _hethought. He had been locked up several times in his years walking the world, but this old dirty sheriff's office seemed like heaven at the moment. He thought he should be locked up, she was right. If he had the dagger? If he slayed his father? Would it all just disappear? Could his father's soul finally be free?

Emma squinted her eyes and glared at him wondering what kind of game he was playing? "I don't get you, and that really bugs me. I used to be good at reading people, call it a superpower if you will. You seemed all nice and innocent one minute but you sound like a murderer"

"I am a honest good person, I have lived all my years alone trying to strive for that. But, I have to get that dark thing out of him Emma, with or without magic" and then those dark ancient eyes were staring at her again asking for help.

"So, where do we find this dagger?" Emma said grabbing her jacket, they left the office. She was not sure about letting Baelfire try to kill Mr. Gold but she was very curious about this dagger and if it did hold the power he said it did.

"Near the cabin in the woods" Baelfire smiled following the sheriff out the office.

The vase of flowers sat on the desk, waiting for their moment...


	10. Chapter 10

**A/U: I do not own OUAT, Disney, Oz or anything else, thank you again for all the kind reviews so lets just jump right into it. Sorry for the grammar errors if any I tried to fix all of them but I am using some free form of word and it doesn't translate here well... *hands everyone a box of tissues* (and no this is not the end...)**

* * *

The Mickey Mouse phone rang at Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. He didn't like the red and black mouse but Belle had liked it so he let her hook the old thing up to appease her.

"Mr. Gold speaking" Gold said wondering who the heck was calling him? He couldn't remember the last time someone had actually called him here, if ever. Unless it was...

Regina cackled on the other end. "Rumplestiltskin still holding on to that silly name?"

"Regina" he said in a bored tone. Now that magic was back and everyone knew the evil Regina had done she had locked herself in her mansion. No one but a few dares souls braved to go near her. So, why was she calling him? A deal perhaps?

"I met an interesting man today while I was out pruning my apple tree" Regina said with a smile thinking about Rumple's face turning sour.

Mr. Gold played stupid. "Oh? And what does this have to do with me?"

"He is new in town, and you know exactly what he has to do with you. He said he was off to visit the sheriff, so I gave him a few presents, a welcome to Storybrooke gift. Your boy does like apples doesn't he Mr. Gold?" Regina cackled the question into the phone.

Mr. Gold set the phone down and grabbed his cane. He walked very swiftly but calmly towards the sheriff station. He did not notice anything out of the ordinary outside except that Emma's yellow beetle was there and the sheriff's patrol car was not.

The door was unlocked and he made his way down the main hallway a lump in his throat. He turned the corner and entered the main room afraid to see his son's dead body on the floor. But, nothing was there. He made his way around the room, curiosity getting the better of him. He made his way past the desk that held the book inside and the desk with the vase of flowers on it. Mr. Gold's cane tapped on a garbage can in a peculiar spot in the middle of the floor. He glanced inside seeing the apple cut to pieces. Mr. Gold let out a laugh. A maniacal little laugh that wasn't from this world.

_Not this time Regina _he though as he exited the building. Happy that for now Regina's tricks hadn't worked on Baelfire.

The vase of flowers sat on the desk, waiting for their moment...

* * *

The two companions got in the sheriff's car and took off towards the woods on the west side of the town. Silence passed between them. Baelfire could feel she was holding something back.

Emma spoke softly keeping her eyes towards the road in front of her. "Henry thinks we met before, is that true? Have you been spinning stories in his head? I just started to believe in fairy tales, past lives are another thing all together. He said I was your Dorothy" She parked the patrol car on the side of the road near the toll bridge, getting out she walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk pulling out two shovels. After the incident with Kathryn she started to keep more supplies in the back of her car, just in case.

Baelfire laughed getting out the passenger side he walked over to the trunk as Emma handed him a shovel. "That's a good way to put it, past life. No, nothing like that. I was just telling him a few stories of my journeys, it doesn't matter now" he said as Emma shut the trunk he started to follow her down the trail towards the woods. doesn't matter now. Lie. His heart ached. It did matter.

A crackle of thunder could be heard in the distance as dark clouds grew closer to them. These clouds screamed caution and beckoned away from the woods, but neither heeded the warning as they started tow walk into the the woods.

"Bae, it matters to me, please?" Emma said, always the curious soul wanting to fill her heart with answers. From her position in front of him she waited for him to catch up to her as the trail into the woods grew more narrow. The forest engulfing them, the trees and shrubbery much more alive now that magic was in this land.

There was the killer not only saying his nickname, his real one, not his made up fake name but the three perfect letters that rolled off her tongue so sweetly he wanted to beg her to say his name again just so he could hear it, but he contained himself. The second was saying 'please' it had always been his father's weakness and now it seemed like it was his as well. And so he obliged the princess with what information he gave to his young friend the other night. "I told Henry of a time when I was traveling through Florida. I met a little blonde haired girl in pig tails that scared some ugly Kiss characters off." He told her everything as they walked along the path getting closer to the cabin.

Emma stopped dead in her tracks. She had never mentioned what happened that Halloween to anyone. She tucked that Halloween anyway in her memory as one of only a few happy experiences in that foster house as a child. She kept the thought of being Dorothy close to her heart against the furthest wall where no one could take that memory away from her.

As the duo finally made he last twenty feet towards the cabin Emma stuck her shovel in the ground. She never told about that Halloween. "You were the wolf man?" Emma questioned him with such integrity. She couldn't bring herself to believe it had been him. She shrugged the warm feeling. She had to be strong now. "So, we had a moment when I was little"

Baelfire told her the truth "I thought about you every day since, those big blue eyes calling out to me. I hoped you had survived out there in the world. I wanted to go back, take you with me. I knew I felt something special about you. You touched the mask, not afraid of the big bad wolf, curious even"

Emma could feel a tear escape her eye. It had been real. And someone out there had been thinking about her. She turned away from him hiding her emotions as she wiped the tear away. "And I thought it was a dream." She spoke boldly turning back towards him. "Aren't we suppose to be finding that knife? She asked digging into a patch of fresh ground.

Baelfire gave a low huff, this girl, this woman hurt him without her even knowing. He hit the ground with his shovel again. "I heard once a dream is a wish your heart makes when you are fast asleep"

The rumble of thunder was closer now. The rain started to fall lightly around them. Brushing the ground with water, making it easier to dig. Neither cared. The small tiny dots rolled off Emma's jacket as she looked over at Baelfire. Watching the man dig, his strokes deep and in sync almost with a rhythm.

"My heart brought you me on Halloween? Seems a bit far fetched" Emma said repeating the same digging pattern a few feet away from him. It did appear someone had been digging multiple holes here. She thought if they didn't find the dagger she would question Mr. Gold for his time spent in the woods.

"As far fetched as fairytale land" he gave a half crooked smirk towards her "possibly to help you be brave. You didn't need me, not really, you were already brave on your own. But you can keep believing it was blind fate. Maybe you need me now"

"I don't know what you're talking about" Emma plays her best opossum, feelings weren't her thing. She had been a loner for a reason before Storybrooke.

Henry had told Baelfire briefly about the past sheriff. He wondered if that was why she was so closed off? "It's tragic what happened to him Emma. But, I'm here, and I have a heart

"I can't" Emma almost screams through rain coming down harder now.

"Or won't" Baelfire said plainly. He went back searching for another area of soft ground.

He spoke the truth. Emma turned away as the rain fell harder to the ground. She could not confront him. She was not brave, at this moment she didn't feel like the savior at all.

He placed his shovel in a soft spot and stated to dig again upset she won't let him in, upset if he didn't find this dagger then it was all for nothing. But another feeling over came him, something old and ancient calling out to him. "It's here, don't you feel it?"

"Ace. We should go, the storm" Emma called out as a bolt of lightning hit the roof of the cabin shooting fragments of white light across the sky. She stopped shoveling and walked over to him, grabbing the top part of his right arm the rain making his leather jacket slippery to the touch.

"No, I'm almost there" he says sounding more like a child than a man. He digs the shovel deeper into the ground. The metal on metal makes a small clanking noise.

Emma grabs him from behind again "Come on!"

"No, I'm so close" he hisses, the rain beating off his dirty black jacket now. He pushes Emma off of him as he bends down the mud pooling around his body. He digs with his hands deeper into the soft ground. His fingers are on material now, soft and natural, and not of this world.

Thunder rumbles loudly, blocking out any other sound as a lightning bolt hits the ground between them. The lightning had been almost on top of Baelfire's feet as he pulls the dagger out the ground. It knocks Emma backwards and Baelfire off his feet completely. The lightning radiates through him as he hits the ground hard. His world goes black. The dagger falls out his hand. A small bit of blue smoke frizzles off Bae's black boots.

Emma gains her bearings and looks over at him. Baelfire looked asleep, the rain bouncing off his clothes, his hair damp and wet circles his face, and then she realizes he's not moving. Five feet feels like a world away as she starts to crawl towards him. "Ace!" she coos at him, rain in her eyes mixes with tears, digging her hands into the dirt, her blue jeans soiled and she can't get to him fast enough.

Rumplestiltskin's dagger lay on the ground next to the unconscious man.

Baelfire's final breath leaves his body.


	11. Chapter 11

**a/u: Thank you all so much for more reviews and story alerts! I apologize again for any grammar errors chalk it up to the free word edition I tried to catch everything but anyway I don't own OUAT/Oz/Disney/The Wanted 'Glad You Came' just thought it was fitting song for them. I know it's 7:15 in the show but 8:15 sounds like a more reasonable breakfast time, so late breakfast for them. side note... I took CPR/first aid class multiple times it's a pet peeve of mine about people on tv that don't do chest compressions properly so I apologize for the in detailed CPR... anyway enough about me let's get back to to that lightning**

* * *

Emma finally made it the few feet to Baelfire. She shook him trying to get him to wake up. "Ace, HEY! Bae, BAELFIRE!" She screamed shaking him again. Emma unzipped his jacket ripping it open with force to get to his chest. She rips her own red jacket off sticking it underneath his head for support. She could barely see though the tears in her eyes. She pounds her fists against the center of his chest.

"One.. Two... Seven... Ten... Fifteen " Emma moved up to Baelfire's face. Tilting his head back she pinched his nose and pressed her lips against his lips puffing air into his lungs. One breath. Two breaths.

They had a moment, several moments, and this moment in the woods had been the start of something. She was going to do her damnedest not to let him go. As much as she didn't want to believe maybe he had been right. She needed him. She wanted to need him. Her heart pounded a mile a minute. This was not true love's kiss; this was a sheriff saving a victim. She was a robot as she repeated the steps over again. Left fist over right, find the center of the diaphragm, push down hard. "One, two..." She repeated again bringing her lips to his, pinching his nose and tilting his head back. She repeated these movements back and forth several more times. How many minutes had it been? She should stop she told herself, but that would have meant giving up. She puffed another breath into his lungs.

Baelfire gasped, opening his eyes and taking a deep breath in.

Emma pulled away as he came to. She relaxed wiping the tears out her eyes she caught her breath as well. He coughed and tried to remember what had happened. The dagger was on the ground a foot away from him and it was still raining. The rain and the lightning... had he got struck? The faint smell of fire and ash loomed as if yes, he had. Baelfire looked over at Emma knelt beside him as the rain keep falling down around them. "Some apple, huh Dorothy?" he says sitting up a bit regaining his composure.

Emma laughs, out of pure exhaustion, she laughs. Because, it was funny after saving him from the apple only to have to rescue him hours later. And then she is crying; she could not take losing another person. Not after Graham, not after what almost happened to Henry, and if she had just believed harder August would still be alive.

Baelfire's arms are around Emma before she has time to react. Baelfire knew he was treading on her comfort zone. He had to touch her, to feel something, to make sure he wasn't dead. After all these years alive he still feared death, feared being really alone.

The feeling is foreign to her. She tenses up, clinching to pieces of his jacket as he holds her awkwardly. She allows it. He doesn't let go. He is a lean man, but his arms are strong and tight around her. Emma breathes in the smell of Baelfire's wet hair, its leather, fire, and a hit of something ancient. She allows herself to rest her head against his shoulder then she puts her bare arms around him. Water has long soaked through her white tank top, and she is shaking now. They sit knelt next to each other, arms around each other, for as long as Emma can stand.

He can feel her tense up under him and he just keeps holding on. He can't let her go. Emma smells of flowers and rain as Baelfire's nose brushes against her ear he breathes her in as he whispers "some first date?"

She thought he was quite the apple off the old tree with his puns. "What makes it a date?" Emma whispers back. She wasn't really sure what made a date, all of hers usually ended with a boot on someone's car before Storybrooke.

"I brought you flowers, didn't I?" Baelfire speaks softly as if he doesn't want the rest of the forest to hear.

Emma feels a pit in her stomach. He had done something nice, brought her flowers, and she hadn't even noticed. Where had they been? She tried to process the station in her shocked mind. She placed the letter opener next to... a vase of flowers. She pulls away from him.

Emma dodges the question. "We should go, are you OK to move?" She asked getting her jacket she put it back on as she stands up.

"Yeah, I think so. Might need new shoes. " He dusted the ash off the bottom of his boots and reached over taking the dagger he slid it in his back pocket. Baelfire's muscles ached from toe to head but he knew they couldn't stay in the woods.

Emma held her hand out and he took it as she helped pull him up. The two walked silently back towards the car, side by side, Emma helping Baelfire, and Bae in turn helping Emma.

"We should go see Dr. Whale" Emma said more of a command than a question. She hadn't seen any lightning victims before but she knew he should get checked out. She made a mental note to look up more medical law procedures since the Storybrooke sheriff station was lacking.

"No doctors, please, no hospitals Emma" Baelfire stopped in his spot for a moment. Fight or flight was starting to kick in and flight was winning. He wanted to run. He needed to get away, but then something warm was on his shoulder and he traced Emma's hand up to her face.

"Hey, it's ok, its just usually procedure after someone gets stuck by lightning. No doctors" Emma said releasing her light touch on his shoulder as they started to amble on again.

Baelfire didn't run instead he opened up to her. He hadn't even told his father yet, so _why_ her? He wondered a bit as he continued telling his story "I was here a while. I was truthful with you about that, and I have scars all over from numerous wars, injuries, fights."

"Something happened in the hospital didn't it?" Emma asked he looked as if he was remembering something very painful.

Baelfire nodded slowly as they walked along. He began his story "Yes. I was traveling through England in the early 1900s and got very sick. I had been a bugle boy in the American Civil War. I had an old bullet in my side, and they took it out, but not before they poked and prodded me. They questioned the old bullet and I had no answers for them. I was trapped as a child, they wouldn't release me, and so I ran." Flight.

Emma's face contorted as she heard his story. She could not imagine the trauma he had been through. She had once thought she had a hard life being trapped in a foster home with other children and parents that did not love her, but she had been wrong. She had siblings and a roof over her head. She felt so ashamed. "And here I thought braces were bad" Emma said trying to bring him back to the present.

"I've heard those are another form of torture all together" Baelfire replied thankful to be talking about anything but that time. He knew he would have to face his demons eventually but not today. The corner of Emma's mouth arched up, wasn't quite a smile but the closest she could give him at the moment.

They arrived back at the car a little slower than they began the trip and the drive back to Gold's salmon colored estate felt even longer. Emma parked the car and got out. She knew he'd be ok, but she still had the instinct to help him out.

"We could go to Mother Superior, ask for help" Emma said as Baelfire got out the car and slowly made his way over to her. Sometimes he looked so young, younger than forty-two, she forgot he was so old but right now in pain his age showed.

"Belle beat you to that idea. I don't think I can go to her again." He gripped onto the shiny metal knife as if his life depended on it. Baelfire wasn't ready to end his father's life.

"I had to use a sword once to slay a dragon, to save Henry, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. We'll find a way, hold off on using that thing. I really don't want to arrest you" Emma had to admit as nice as it was to have company in the sheriff's station sometimes she didn't want blood on his hands. Not after today.

Baelfire started to make his way slowly towards the porch with Emma a step behind him. "You don't have to follow me to the door"

"You won't go to the hospital" Emma replied quickly still a bit worried for his health. She wasn't about to have him pass out in front of Gold's house.

The two adults stood on the porch as if they were teenagers about to break curfew. Scared and afraid and not ready to say goodbye.

Baelfire watched the features of her face, as he brought his left hand up to her face slowly he brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her eyes. " Thanks, for..." _Everything _didn't exactly cover all she had done for him. He released the feather light curly locks out his hand. It wasn't a kiss, but it was another touch. Love was layered, but slowly the layers were coming off.

"You're welcome" Emma answered feeling his rough hand against her face. She held back the feeling to flinch as his moved the piece of hair away from her eye.

Baelfire slid the dagger in one of his back pants pockets and turned placing his hand on the handle of the door. He had to face the demon now.

Emma started to make her way off the porch she called out "hey Ace, maybe next time a dinner and a movie, I think you owe me."

Baelfire paused as a half crook smile crossed his face. She was willing. "Does Storybrooke have a theater?" He enjoyed motion pictures. He often sat in the back and watched the happy couples trickle in holding hands, kissing, and looking so happy. He knew they were not normal, that would never be them, but he had that wish in the back of his mind.

Emma was not sure Storybrooke had a Blockbuster Video let alone a proper theater. An inner conflict raged in her as she wanted him around, but another voice whispered danger, and so she compromised. "Do you like hot chocolate with cinnamon?" It was an acquired taste that seemed to run in the Charming family she found out, but even if he didn't, she just wanted him to be around. It wasn't in the way a sheriff wanted to look after a suspected killer, not like the first time she came to the door with Henry. This was something different. She _wanted _him around.

"If you are buying" Baelfire's smile grew wider. A proper smile that spread across his face almost touching the tips of his sandy brown hair that fell against his ears. He wasn't sure he liked cinnamon with his hot chocolate but if it was Emma's favorite he'd learn to love it.

"Granny's diner 8:15. One condition... No blood is on the dagger" Emma was going to stand her ground. Mr. Gold was not her biggest fan and she hated him sometimes for the way he manipulated and scammed people but he had also helped her.

"Deal" Baelfire called out, and then the door was shut and he was gone. Back into the darkness of the Gold estate.

Emma made it back to her car and clicked on the radio. The tune played low as she drove back to her place on the other side of town. She listened taking in all that happened today. She saved his life and yet it felt as if a piece of her was saved as well. She was glad he came.

_The sun goes down  
The stars come out  
And all that counts  
Is here and now  
My universe will never be the same  
I'm glad you came_

* * *

The flowers in the vase at the sheriff's station had transformed over the day. The roses starving for energy began to drain the wildflowers of life. The petals fell to the desk. Regina's roses waited.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I do not own OUAT/Oz/Grey's Anatomy/Lost/Tron... bonus points for everyone who catches all the references! Did yall hear about the "mystery" character next season? … kinda hope it's Bae! Anyway back to the story...**

* * *

Baelfire leaned against the old wooden door. He could hear the television coming from the living room. He thought about opening the door and leaving again, but then he caught the sound of his father's voice in his ear. He listens to the sound coming from the other room, it sounds like home.

"Five medical surgeons and not one can make a fire?" Mr. Gold can be heard arguing with Belle. Baelfire thinks he needs to clean his ears because it sounds like they are arguing over television. It made him smile a bit every time he caught them doing something worldly normal here. A normal Thursday night.

"Not all of us can snap our fingers and start a fire" Belle said coming around the corner "Bae." She walked over to Gold's son seeing he looked in pain. She stuck her nose up at his smell, wet dog and burnt ash. "What happened today?" she asked lowly.

Bae ran his hands through his hair, closing his eyes a moment he tried to process just what did happen today. "I was in the woods finding the dagger and there was a storm"

Belle looked out the window a moment seeing the lights of the sheriff's patrol car as it pulled away "with Emma?"

She _saved_ me he wanted to say, but instead he simply replied "she invited me to breakfast. Hot chocolate with cinnamon?" Baelfire questioned leaning his head against the door. He would rather talk about _her_ than what happened today. The dagger giving him an uncomfortable feeling resting against his back reminded him of just what he still had to do.

"You'll learn to love it" Belle's forget-me-not blue eyes sparkled and she smiled inspecting the man over; she could not see any open wounds but still was worried about him. She knew the dagger was trouble but hoped for now it was at bay.

"I think I already do" Bae gave a small smile back at Belle as the two exchanged glances of understanding that this part wasn't about the cocoa at all. He was glad he could confide in her. She pushed him away from the door wanting to get him out the wet jacket. Belle's touch was forceful but comforting, very motherly or sisterly unlike Emma's touch that made him feel electrified with excitement.

"The only way it could be more real is if they had all crash landed on a magic island and there was a smoke demon..." Gold came into the parlor clearly perturbed over the drama they were just watching. "Baelfire" he said seeing the man at front of the door. He looked like hell.

"I'll go run you a bath" Belle said hanging Bae's jacket up. She walked by Gold giving him a sweet gentle kiss on the cheek as she passed by him.

"Are you alright son?" he asked coming towards Baelfire.

Baelfire nodded "I did it." He felt a spark of anger from somewhere deep inside him as he pulled the dagger from behind his back. It was his father's fault, wasn't it? He turned quickly shoving his father against the door. His whole body screamed in pain as he brought the dagger up to his father's neck. He should not be fighting. He should be resting but he couldn't let it go, not yet. "Here it is papa, your curse. I could finish our deal right now" Baelfire spoke hastily scared of the consequences of his actions.

Gold held his breath as the metal danced next to his throat. The dagger called his name, sparkling silver metal against his skin. "Do it lad" he hissed. "I'm a monster, I deserve it." He knew his fate. He would regret not being with Belle more and not getting to know his son again. He truly did not know the man in front of him right now but he would like to have gotten to know him.

"I can't. I'm so angry at you and yet, I can't do it!" Baelfire growled as he pulled the dagger away from his father's throat. He knew their deal so long ago, but a new deal had been made. "Does that make me the coward? I can't release you"

Mr. Gold ran his hand over his throat as he stared at the dagger, entranced by its power. "No lad, that makes you more of a man that I ever will be."

Baelfire put the dagger on the mantelpiece above the fire place for the world to see. "I'm going to save you somehow." The dagger reminded Bae of the long road the two men had ahead of them in forming a relationship again. He was the coward for not ending whatever darkness his father kept inside of him. And his father was the coward for putting that burden on him.

"Go get clean lad, we have time to talk" Gold said after glancing for a long moment at the dagger. He hated the thing that tied to his life line, but he would have no one else but his son tied to the deal.

* * *

Emma could hear laughter between Mary Margaret and Henry as she walked into the living room and saw them in the kitchen. "Hey guys! What is going on?" Mary and Henry looked as if they were just finishing up the dishes.

Mary handed Henry the last plate to dry "just telling Henry about the time the dwarfs tried to make the cake for my birthday and it didn't go so well"

Emma smiled a bit walking over to the fridge she grabbed a bottle of water not realizing how thirsty she had been. "Yeah, I can see where that would be funny. I can't see Leroy baking a cake" she said gulping down the drink. She wanted to wash away the day. The bad part of the day anyway. The taste of woods and wet chapped lips on hers as she puffed air back into Baelfire's lifeless body. Emma wanted to keep the safe feeling of his arms around her at the back of her mind for now; she took another drink of the water.

"Grumpy" Mary and Henry chimed in at the same time.

"Grumpy" Emma replied ruffling Henry's hair as she put the empty water bottle in the recycling bin.

Henry could tell something was off with his mom. He traced behind her wanting to know the adventures of the day. "What happened?"

Emma bent down and gave him a hug reassuring him everything was ok. "It was nothing. Baelfire and I just had a little trouble in the woods. But, we found what we were looking for."

He hugged his mother back, knowing something big must have happened if she was acting this way. "You found Rumplestiltskin's dagger didn't you? The one from the book?"

"Yeah, we did. But don't worry it's in a safe place." Emma said releasing her son from the hug. Safe as in the belly of the beast itself. She regretted not taking the dagger from Baelfire and could only hope their wasn't a murder or two tonight. "Go get cleaned up for bed"

Henry turned going down the hall he could hear his grandmother start to question his mother.

Mary Margaret had not met Baelfire yet but she was under the assumption if he was Rumple's son he was trouble no matter what Henry had told her of meeting the man at Granny's. "You were in the woods with Baelfire, alone?" She felt the words slip out her mouth before she could stop herself, pot-calling-the-kettle-black moment. How many times had she been alone with David in the woods? Even if this life was just a curse and it had been fake; she had been with a married man in the woods, alone. Mary did know she did not want to deal with Gold let alone his son. "You never had to deal with Rumplestiltskin in our world, he's a snake only out for himself"

Emma hung her jacket up and started to take her shoes off. Sitting down she stared up at her mother, her friend. "Baelfire is different."

"He came to town to find his father, now he has this weapon, he could kill him or kill half the town. He should be stopped and you are helping him?"

"He's innocent" she replied calmly. She had not known him for long and knew there could be malice in him, but she found none. His eyes had not been the eyes of a cold blooded killer, but the dark hurt eyes of a lost soul.

"Looks can be deceiving" Mary warned her. How many times before had Rumple made a deal with her or Charming to get what he wanted?

Emma stood up and walked over to the counter "I would trust him with my life."

Henry finishes brushing his teeth and changes into plaid pajama pants and a Flynn's Arcade t-shirt. He creeps down the hall and stops at the end watching the two sheepishly from the corner of the hall. It looked as if they were in the middle of some sort of discussion.

Mary Margaret and Emma's friendship had been strained they were still trying to figure out the balance between mother/daughter and friend relationship and sometimes those lines got crossed. Mary took a deep breath. "I'm just... " she paused a moment feeling she slipped into mother zone "worried about you." She puts a hand over Emma's and squeezes. And the two suddenly smile and chuckle a bit. They were still getting used to their new relationship and it was taking both of them a while to believe.

Henry joined the pair of women to say goodnight. "See you at breakfast" He gave his grandmother a hug.

Mary smiled and hugged him back as she said her goodbyes to the two.

"Goodnight mom" Emma smirked as she closed the door behind Mary.

Henry holds the Wonderful World of Oz book out to Emma. This was his new favorite time of the day and he wasn't about to let her get away tonight.

Emma raised an eyebrow at her son. Still not sure where he got his love of books from. "Are you sure we are related?"

"Positive" he smiled as he held the book out to her again.

Emma took the book with a small sigh. She thought he better be glad he was so charming it was hard to say no to him. "Wouldn't you like to play Space Invaders instead?" Emma asked in a last ditch effort to get another high score. She had played the game several times since Regina gave him the game months ago and she was getting quite good at it.

"No, that's you" Henry giggled as the two walked to his room.

Emma gave a small sigh, the video game rejected for another day. "So, the story of Oz it is"

Henry shook his head. "It's not a story, it's real." Fairytale land had turned out to be real. He stuck to his instinct in believing there were other worlds out there, and he wanted to explore them all.

"If you say so kid." Emma sat down on Henry's bed and leaned back against the headboard. Her son crawled up next to her as she opened the Wonderful Wizard of Oz book and wrapped one arm around Henry as they snuggled into begin reading the story.

"Oh, I see; said the Tin Woodman. But, after all, brains are not the best things in the world. Have you any? inquired the Scarecrow. No, my head is quite empty, answered the Woodman; but once I had brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart. Huh" Emma paused a moment thinking about the story and about fairytale land. "With all those hearts the evil Queen has in boxes; she could help the Woodman out give him one"

Henry lifted his head from his mother's side and smiled widely. "I thought you didn't believe Oz was real?"

"Let's just say I'm open to the idea" Emma said with a small smile, she was not going to deny her son's imagination.

Henry closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with the sweet sound of his mother's voice reading softly to him.

* * *

Baelfire came back downstairs in a black t-shirt and sweat pants. He walked past the library where Belle was and walked down the hallway to the kitchen hearing the clank of a glasses. His father stood near the liquor cabinet.

Gold took the bottle of MacCutcheon whiskey out and gestured for his son to sit down at the table. He poured two glasses and slid one of to his son. He sat down across from Bae "this world is very different from our own. Their spirits are something to be desired."

The two sat there sipping their liquor long into the night. Silent at times, but both pondering about the future and if they had a chance? Baelfire put the glass up to his lips, the pungent smell of the liquid filled his nostrils. This would be the start of redemption or the death of them both.

* * *

**A/N:** **Thank you so much for all the reviews and story alerts! Please keep them coming!**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I do not own OUAT/Oz/Disney, Tron, or Monopoly! Thank you all for the story alerts and reviews please keep them coming! This one is a little short but I wanted to break it up before the next big part, so enjoy :)

* * *

Henry, Tron lunchbox in hand and backpack on, ready for school walked down the street with his mother towards town. He loved the new morning routine meeting David and Mary for breakfast, and then walking to school with Mary. This morning Emma had been rushing him out of the house wanting to be early for breakfast. "I just want to get a good table" his mother had said shutting the door as they stepped outside. Henry smiled; Baelfire was coming to breakfast today. He liked the man very much and part of him hoped that Bae would be around for a long time. Wednesday was show-and-tell at Storybrooke Elementary; sadness appeared on Henry's face as he realized his object was back on his nightstand. "I forgot Oz at home, we have to go back" Henry said as they walked down the street. He turned his head looking back towards the house.

Emma could see Mary and David up ahead. "Too late now kid, how about I grab your storybook from the station and meet you guys at the diner. Go with Mary and David and I'll meet you there" she said looking down at Henry.

Henry wasn't happy about taking his normal storybook instead of the new story, but something was better than nothing. Mary wasn't about letting him slide on school work just because she was his grandmother. "Ok" he agreed making his way to the corner. Henry greeted Mary and David with a hug and a charming little smile as they watched Emma turn the corner.

* * *

Emma entered the sheriff's station. She pulls a key out of the pocket of her red jacket and opens the desk and pulling out Henry's book. She slips the key back into her pocket and turns beginning to walk out the station when she catches a whiff of sweet red roses in the air. The smell stops her in her tracks. She was never the kind of girl that paid attention to flowers but these were special. Baelfire had brought them, and she had to admit to herself the smell was intoxicating. Emma put the book down on one of the other desks and walked over to the vase of flowers sitting on desk. She lifted the vase up at first checking for a bug and set it down lightly. She ran her hands over the dying wildflowers, their color changed from bright yellow to a dank brown and then she pulled out one of the red roses. Emma brings the rose up to her nose, bewitched with the flower. She inhales the smell, it made her dizzy, light headed, and happy.

She smiled holding the rose. It was beautiful, the perfect shade of rose red. She held the rose tightly in her hand, too tight. Emma pricks her finger on one of the sharp thorns. The pain shoots up her arm. She releases the rose. "Ow" the pain brought her back to reality as she held her finger up to see a spot of blood. She stares at the spot for a long time. She should get it wrapped up and go back to the diner. Henry is waiting, her parents are waiting, and _he_ is waiting. The pain is replaced by a light feeling, making her have a spout of vertigo. The sense of calm rushes over her as her knees buckle and she falls to the ground. Emma blinks, she can see the walkie-talkie a few feet away from her on the counter, red light flashing, but she's too tired to reach it now. Henry_. _Emma closes her eyes and falls asleep.

* * *

"Five hot chocolates with cinnamon on top" Ruby said placing the drinks on the table "Five drinks... thirsty?" She asked before moving on to Clark and Walter at the next table over.

"Yeah, why did we get five, Henry?" David asked looking over at Henry.

The snow princess had a slight smirk on her face. "We get to finally meet someone who disappeared from our kingdom a long time ago. Mr. Gold's son, Baelfire. I wasn't so nice to Emma yesterday, and she wants us to give him a chance, so that's what I'm gong to do"

Henry smiles at his grandmother, happy to give everyone a chance "he's great but he's late, and she's taking to long getting the book, what if he shows up and she's not here"

David and Mary exchange a glance as they hear their grandson. Henry was the little cupid, wasn't he? Henry pulled the walkie-talkie out of his backpack and clicked it on. "Momma cobra come in? Baby cobra to Momma cobra, come in?" He wanted to use the nicknames during Operation Cobra but she wasn't ready yet. The talkie makes a static noise but no response from the other end. He tried again without any luck. The static crackled white noise.

"Maybe we better go check on her" Mary said thinking it was a bit strange it was taking her so long. The trio got up from the table. They walked swiftly out the diner.

"HEY!" Ruby said "A tip would have been nice" she called out watching them walk out.

* * *

Mary called out Emma's name as the trio walked in to the sheriff's station. "Emma" she called out again looking around. The patrol car was still parked outside, so she didn't go anywhere, but where was she? Mary wondered. David walked into the office to check if she was in the back room.

"Mom?" Henry called out behind Mary. He saw his storybook on one of the desk and walked over picking it up. He turned his head staring at the vase a bit perplexed seeing the dying flowers and then the fresh roses. Henry turned picking the book up off the desk his foot hit the edge of a hard object. He looked down in horror as he saw his mother lying on the floor. The red rose next to her head.

The next few minutes froze in time as Mary and David bent down next to Emma attempting to wake her up. She was alive, thankfully, but not responsive. David ever so gently picked his daughter up and began to carry her in his arms like the sleeping princess she was. Once upon a time he carried Emma this way as a baby to save her life; he put her in an enchanted tree. But, they were all out of magic trees at the moment.

Mary held the door open as David carried her outside. "We have to get her to Doctor Whale"

Henry dropped his backpack. His grandparents should know better than anyone that's not what she needed. "No not Whale, the flowers were poisoned didn't you see? She needs magic! I know what to do!" He took off towards Mr. Gold's house running as fast as his feet could take him. He heard Mary call out after him, but he didn't care, he kept running.

* * *

_Two children sit at the card table in the study of Mr. Gold's estate. The seven year old girl, her blonde ringlets of curly hair bounced around her head as she placed the hat token down on what appears to be a modified monopoly board game. All the places were fairytale names or characters, and there was a small ceramic castle in the middle of the board. _

_The thirteen year old boy puts a spinning wheel token down next to the girl's hat. His smile grew as he looked across the table at the girl. They both laugh as their hands touch reaching for the dice at the same time. He lets her go first. "Why the hat?" he asked her as she rolled the dice._

_The girl giggled thinking the question was very silly. She moves the piece three spots. "Hats take you places. Why the wheel?" She looked at the shiny gold spinning wheel token._

_The boy, his deep brown eyes set on the board speaks boastfully as he rolls the dice and moves the token four spots. "It's my father's, he spins gold." _

_"Is he rich?" The little girl questions him as she leans over, her little red jacket brushing against the table as she grabs the dice. She rolls and takes a card. _

_There is a twinkle in his eye as he speaks about his father, the expression of a boy that looks up to and respects the man with all his heart. "He has me; I'm worth more than gold." He rolls the dice and moves up a spot._

_She smiles, the sincerest look in her face "remember that. You got dragon eyes... roll again"_

_The boy rolls the dice and moves the spinning wheel token to the dungeon spot. "I lost a turn" he says sadly._

_The little girl puts the card with a picture of a tree key on the table in front of the boy. "Here you can have this key card to get out the dungeon"_

_"Won't you need it?" He asked taking the card. The tree key card absolving his piece from the dungeon spot._

_The little blonde curls bounced back and forth as she shakes her head. "No, I have you." She rolled the dice and moved the hat landing on the troll bridge spot._

_A rumble noise could be heard from somewhere far away as the room started to shake. The little tea set clanked on the desk next to the table. The cup on the end falls off and brakes. The girl screams out afraid. The two children duck under the table and wait for the noise to end. The boy shields the girl from the debris as the pieces of ceiling start to fall around them. _

* * *

Baelfire opens his eyes, awaking to a pounding knock on the door.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I don't own OUAT/Disney/anything. Thank you all for the story alerts and reviews! I really am loving bringing Baelfire to life. This part is a little longer but I wanted to include it in one chapter so let's get back to that sleeping beauty…**

* * *

Baelfire got out of bed, pulled a fresh t-shirt on and grabbed his pants hustling down stairs. He slipped his boots on at the end of the stairs. Belle was already downstairs making her way to the door. He slipped his black leather jacket on. "What is it? Who is it?" he called out thinking it wasn't very common for someone pounding on the door in the early morning.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Someone answer the door" Mr. Gold said coming out the kitchen. The cane made a tapping noise as he entered the hall.

Belle hesitated a moment fearful of what was on the other side, but then slowly opened the door and looked down. "It's Henry" she called out to Gold a bit relieved it was only him. She smiled cheerfully at him.

"Henry" Baelfire said making his way to greet the boy. "I was just about to go meet you all for breakfast. Where's your mom?" He thought it was a bit odd the kid was here alone.

Henry looked distressed. "You have to come now!" He demanded grabbing a hold of Baelfire's right hand.

"Henry, what is it?" Belle said bending down to eye level with the child.

"Mom... Emma, in the sheriff's station, she's in trouble, there was a rose on the floor, and she won't wake up! They brought her to Doctor Whale, but that's not what she needs" Henry kept spouting out words, tears in his eyes "I didn't want the sheriff to kiss my mom, but now she needs a kiss and he's not here and you are, please she needs you" the last part directed straight at Baelfire, his face showed such intensity.

Baelfire's heart broke, "the roses from the mayor were poisoned?" He thought she would have loved them, and she did, to death. He should have known better than to take things from Regina. Hadn't he been warned? He ran his left hand threw his shaggy brown locks trying to think of what to do.

"Bae, what's going on, what rose? The flowers I gave you were all wild." Belle looked up at Bae with questions. She knew her flowers were pure, but the roses?

"On the way to the sheriff's station, I met the mayor; she put flowers in the vase. I didn't... I didn't know."

"Oh Bae, Regina is a trickster. You couldn't have" Belle said her blue eyes deep with sorrow. The first kind thing he tried to do backfired horribly wrong and she couldn't help but feel it was partly her fault.

Baelfire pulled his hand away from Henry and pushed past his father. All the fury Baelfire had for his father turned in his stomach, the energy turning into something else, anger and revenge against the mayor. "Regina did this, she knew what would happen. She's going to pay!" He walked into the parlor and grabbed the dagger from its spot on the mantel. He took it with such force that the blade tapped the little chipped tea cup sitting next to it. The tea cup fell to the ground. Clink. Another chip in the already broken cup.

"Baelfire this isn't the answer son" Mr. Gold called out as Baelfire stormed out past them.

* * *

Baelfire pressed the door bell to the mayor's estate.

One minute later, Regina, smile on her face, opened the door. She was dressed in black and white business suit and looked extremely happy, but surprised to see him there.

"You didn't eat the apple? "she arches an eyebrow at the man in front of her. "But, you are here so that means the flowers worked?" Regina's smile stretches across her face. Her little trick had worked and she felt very pleased with herself at that moment.

Baelfire did not want to waste time with words; he pushed Regina against the door.

"Down boy" Regina cackled with laughter "Emma got what she deserved!"

"Emma did not deserve death" Baelfire said coaxing the cold metal dagger against Regina's neck. Unlike when Baelfire pressed the dagger to his father's throat this time he meant to kill her. Emma had saved him, and now he was responsible for Emma's fate. "How do I save her? Tell me or I'll kill you!" His breath in her face, his eyes bright amber with fire.

The dagger meant nothing to Regina in this realm. "You can't" Regina said drawing out the words so he knew there was nothing his pathetic threat could do to her. She quite enjoyed this man in front of her. She thought if she could only get her hands on him, away from Gold; she could make something truly wicked out of him. Her eyes darted behind him to see three forms appear in her doorway.

Mr. Gold, Belle, and Henry stood behind Baelfire taking the scene in.

Belle sobbed behind him, her maternal instinct so strong for this man "Bae this isn't you" she called out to him begging him to be the better person.

Baelfire's hand froze; no matter how hard he pushed the dagger would not pierce the mayor's skin. He attempted to push down harder but the blade would not obey him.

"Tell them Rumplestiltskin" Regina said, the dagger pressing down on her throat; "tell your boy about the quid pro quo"

Mr. Gold approached the scene "it won't work son. The dagger can only be used on me here in this land."

"All magic comes with a price" Regina repeated Rumple's words. She loved being on the other end, feeling the power of the price.

Baelfire didn't care he attempted to again pressed the metal harder against her throat. "If Emma is gone, it's my fault. I'll find a way!" He pulled the dagger away from her throat.

"Oh foolish man, every curse can be broken, but I ensured this one would take more than a fragile kiss, so pucker up all you like" Regina rubbed her soar neck and glared at the four. "Now get out my house, please"

Unhappy with the outcome Baelfire had no choice but to turn and start to make his way out. He wasn't about to try and strangle the mayor with his bare hands. He put the dagger in his father's hands. The two men exchanged a glance.

"I'm so sorry lad, we'll find a way" Mr. Gold said taking the dagger as his son walked past him.

Henry approached Regina as the others started to leave. "You loved me once" Henry sniffed "You were a good mom." And that part was true there was never a moment she had never let him go hungry or want for anything. "Please for me"

"Henry" Regina's heart was small and cold but when she saw Henry's face something inside her broke a little more inside. She still loved him, and so she gave him a clue; it wasn't an answer by far but just enough to give the boy hope. "White roses, the only bushes left are hidden deep inside the enchanted forest where you will never find them."

"If you weren't evil, we could have been family" Henry said turning he walked past Belle and Mr. Gold to catch up to Baelfire. He had to tell him about the roses in the forest. He had to save his mom.

Belle and Gold exchanged glances. Was it even possible to get back to their world? Only one person in town possessed the power that even he wasn't capable of. "Go with them to the hospital. I'll meet you there" he ordered Belle.

"You know how, don't you?" Belle examined his face; she could see he was trying to play the magic card.

Mr. Gold nodded agony in his expression because he knew it wouldn't be an easy road ahead, for anyone. The two walked back along the street. Regina would live to see another day.

Jefferson was the answer. He had been on their side once, sending Belle back to him, what about now? He needed leverage, and he knew just the item in his shop to use.

* * *

When Baelfire and Henry arrived at the hospital half the town was in the waiting area, word had spread quick about what happened to its savior.

Henry went over to where Archie and Mother Superior were talking. He gave them both hugs and then started to ask them if there was anything that could be done.

Baelfire walked past them on the way to Emma's room.

He felt wondering eyes on him. Leroy stood guard at Emma's door. "Sorry pal, no one enters, especially not a stranger"

"A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet" he said calmly, honesty was his best weapon at this moment

Leroy looked the man up and down again "well you aren't my friend"

"I'm her friend" Baelfire looked into the room where Emma laid in bed, her eyes closed, asleep.

"He's with me" Henry said coming over to them. Leroy gave the kid a stern look and huffed but stepped aside for Henry. Henry opened the door and pulled Baelfire into the patient room shutting the door behind them.

"Baelfire, may I present Snow White and Prince Charming, but we just call them Mary Margaret and David here or grandma and grandpa but they don't like that" Henry introduced them smiling a bit at the end. It was true they didn't like the 'grand' part so Henry just mostly stuck to their first names, except for in school.

David and Mary Margaret stood from their spots in chairs next to the bed. David instinctively moved his right hand to his left side as if he were reaching for a sword but then stopped remembering in this world his sword had gone to slaying the dragon.

Baelfire bent down to one knee, out of respect and honor. He had never met royalty before not even in all his travels and wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Baelfire, that's really sweet but you don't have to" Mary said; she could see the guilt on his face.

David's hand went out to Baelfire to help him up. Baelfire took his hand and stood up. Neither of them spoke but both exchanged a nod of thanks towards the other.

"I don't deserve it but can I have a moment?" he asked dejection strong on his face. His somber brown eyes set on the bed.

"Of course" Mary said affirming his position as important. David, Henry and her made their way out the glassed patient room to give him a minute.

Henry watched Baelfire approach his mother's bedside before leaving the room; he just needed Bae to kiss her, then she's wake up. She had to wake up.

Baelfire was alone with Emma. The sound of the heart monitor was the only faint noise in the room. He sat down in the chair closest to her. For five minutes he didn't say anything. Now, he was the coward unable to talk to a girl. _His girl. His Emma. _Maybe she wouldn't fully agree with that claim but at the moment he didn't care. He was helpless up to a point and she had saved his life, twice. He stood up and walked over to the head of the bed. "Hey Dorothy. Henry wants me to kiss you. I'm not, not because I don't want to but because I don't think I'm worthy yet."

He ran his hand over her curly blonde hair hanging limp around her face. He bent down and slowly kissed her forehead breathing in her sweet smell. He stood back up taking a step back he felt something under his boot. Baelfire bent down and picked up a small silver key with a picture of a swan on it. He glanced at it and put it in his jacket pocket. The small desk key had fallen out Emma's pocket when she arrived at the hospital as the nurse changed her into a gown, little did Bae know how much he would need that key where he was headed. "This was her plan all along. I played right into her hand, and what a pawn I was. I should have never come to town. I've caused nothing but sorrow, to my father, to you"

"Don't say that" Mary stood behind Baelfire as she and David slowly opened the door and walked into the room again. She approached the man anguish in her voice. "Baelfire, this has nothing to do with you, I'm sorry you just got caught up in my punishment. when I was little I shared a secret of Regina's I wasn't suppose to, and she's been seeking revenge on me and my family ever since, and now I'm afraid you are caught up in it as well" She rested a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave his shoulder a squeeze before letting go.

Henry approached Baelfire again. "You can still give her true loves kiss and make it better. I think she needs more than just me this time"

"I'm not even a prince" Bae said running a hand through his shaggy hair trying to think of what to do.

Henry was not going to take no for an answer while his mother's life was on the line. "So you can still try"

Baelfire shook his head, he thought it was impossible. "You heard what Regina said, it doesn't matter. We'll never be able to go where she needs us to"

Henry wiped a tear from his eye "but you got her to believe in Oz"

"No, kid, that was all you." Baelfire let out a small sigh. He still doubted how much he meant to anyone here.

David and Mary both perked up, if there was a way to save Emma they had to know. It was David that countered wanting to know what exactly Regina said. Words, like Rumple's deals, were very powerful here and fairytale land. "What did Regina say?"

"The only cure is the white roses that live deep in the enchanted forest. I've tried to get back to that place for 1000 years" he said grimly. Every inch of this world he touched had not led him to that green void of space and time he longed to see.

A small gleam of hope appeared on Mary's face. "Sounds like you need to go see the Hatter"

"The Hatter? I thought you told me to stay away from him?" Henry raised the question. Had his family told him that to protect him or

"Jefferson, he lives in a cabin down by the sheriff's station " Mary wasn't even sure Jefferson could help, she just remembered being locked up while Emma had to try and make a hat, but with the magic back she hoped the hat would work. She needed the hat to work now to save her daughter.

The dream came back to Baelfire now. The little seven year old in her red jacket and blonde curls had shown him the way. "Hats take you places"

"What?" David raised an eyebrow at the man. Unsure what he meant by that.

"Just something Emma said to me" Bae replied. Had it been a dream or a vision?

"You know what she said to me? She trust you with her life. that says a lot about your character, maybe I was wrong to judge you without meeting you."

Baelfire gave a slight smile, he knew it was hard for her to admit that, and he could see where she would get the wrong opinion of him. He had to make this right. "Let me go" he said boldly.

David and Mary shared glances.

"You can get lost for days, months, even years. The only way I got out the forest is with your father's help" David said remembering when Regina condemned him to the enchanted forest. The sword battle with Rumplestiltskin had ended in his favor.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Baelfire said to David holding his ground. "Look if I don't come back, then go in. But I think you are all better served here watching over her. Regina is still out there. She needs you here. I'm expendable, I know that. I don't have magic, I'm not Ghorm, Ruby, or a prince, but I've managed to survive this long. You said it yourself" he turned to Mary and pointed at the blonde sleeping beauty in the bed. "She trust me"

"Guys!" Henry screamed and they all three looked at the child. "We're wasting time!"

"Henry's right" Mary looked at Baelfire. "Take your father with you to Jefferson, we'll give you five moons" She took a step to Baelfire and gave him a gentle hug "good luck"

Baelfire gave a small smile towards Mary. "I won't let her down." He was serious. He had to make this work. She saved his life, and it was his turn to repay her.

"Baelfire" David called out as he was exiting the room.

Baelfire looked back at David, not meeting his eyes at first, afraid he still was not worthy for the task in front of him.

"I wasn't always a prince. I'm a shepherd. I rescued far more sheep than damsels in distress. Don't let who you are define you" David reassured Baelfire with a reassuring smile, his crystal blue eyes sparkled as he spoke about his past. He was not ashamed but proud of where he came from and he hoped one day Baelfire would feel that way.

A crocked smile crept across Bae's face. He would hold David's words close to his heart. He didn't say anything else but quickly exited the room before the Charmings changed their minds about him.

* * *

"Papa" Baelfire said seeing Mr. Gold and Belle approach him coming out of the hospital. Belle was holding a medium size paper bag that looked like it had something inside of it.

Belle held the bag out towards him "you'll need this."

He took the bag and looked inside, raising an eyebrow at the two. A large white stuffed rabbit was inside. "You know where we have to go don't you?"

"Yes son, it might seem unconventional but that there is collateral. We are going to make a deal" Mr. Gold smirked, his lips making creases to the edges of his face; sounding a bit more like his old self. "All magic comes with a price"

* * *

**A/N: again thank you for reading! Looks like it's about to get a little mad!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N : Sorry this part took so long! I was traveling a lot and wow September snuck by, but yay for new Once! As always thank you so much for all the reviews and story alerts, who's ready to see the Hatter?**

* * *

"You're all late for tea" Jefferson said opening the door with slight smirk on his face. Jefferson was clad in a black vest layered on top of a red and purple shirt and a back ascot, accompanied by a pair of dark trousers. He was the only one that could match Mr. Gold's style in Storybrooke. The eccentric man motioned for them to join him in his living room, where in fact it was tea time.

Grace sat on the floor near the coffee table she looked up with a smile at the company. She beamed in a little flower dress with blue ribbons in her sandy blonde hair. She began to pour tea into five cups that sat on the table.

Belle's head tilted to the side, and her eyebrow rose looking at Jefferson "you were waiting for us?"

The hatter leaned in close to Belle and whispered "Little cell mate I see everything." He then turned his attention to Baelfire. "What do we have here?"

"I'm Baelfire" he acknowledged Jefferson and stepped forward.

Jefferson seemed to be sizing him up a moment. "My name is Jefferson, at your service" he gave a tilt of his head and a mid curtsy.

"He is my son." Mr. Gold said a bit perturbed with Jefferson's attitude. He did release Belle from the cell in the hospital though so that gave him a little ground to stand on. "We are here to see about getting back to where we came from."

"You brought the magic back, why don't you use your power, jump through one of your magic wells" Jefferson looked up from his spot across from Grace.

Mr. Gold replied "you know it's not that easy, that's why I came to make a deal."

"I have my daughter. There is nothing you can offer me" he said sipping at his tea "needs more sugar"

Belle placed the large paper bag on the other side of the table opposite of the tea set. She gently pulled the large fluffy white rabbit out of the bag.

Grace's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. "Father, it's my bunny"

"Nothing?" Mr. Gold's lip crinkled up. "Never underestimate someone who is acting for their child. You should know that. You take us to the realm we seek and she gets the rabbit." Grace had been eying that animal in his store for as long as he can remember. He knew sooner or later it would come in handy like most things in his shop they all held value on the other side.

"Fine, give her the rabbit, but I'm only taking you as far as the chasm of doors. I'm not going to risk my daughter for your son" Jefferson said watching his little girl pour the bunny a cup of tea.

Mr. Gold stuck out his hand and shook Jefferson's "Deal." In truth he was happy Jefferson would not be tagging along. He was accustom to working alone but yearned for the time with his son and Belle.

No sooner had they make good on the deal there was a tap at the door. Their stood Ruby and Nova. Jefferson opened the door "friends of yours?" he asked looking over at Mr. Gold as the two young women made their way into the house. Mr. Gold got up and walked over to them.

"We came to stop you" Astrid, the brunette fairy nun, with a humble smile on her face, got right to the point.

Ruby, in her diner uniform, red brunette long pony tail waving as she shook her head, not agreeing with Astrid's words. She had a plan of her own. "Astrid didn't mean that. Let me go with you"

"It's too dangerous" Astrid butted in.

Ruby countered again, looking over at the fairy and then back at Mr. Gold and Jefferson "Henry told us what you were going to do, I know the woods. Wild things are still out there, what better companion than me?" She was itching to get out of Storybrooke and she would do anything to try and help her friend.

Baelfire got up off his spot near the coffee table and walked over to the door. "Thanks Ruby, but this is my fault. I'm going to make this right"

A small smile crept across Mr. Gold's face. He didn't want to be stuck in the woods with a wolf, and grateful that his son took control of the situation deterring the wolf away from their quest.

"If you must go it will be dark you'll need something to light your way" Astrid said holding a white candle out towards Baelfire.

"A candle?" Baelfire questioned the fairy nun.

Astrid nodded, "Magic, it won't fight off ogres or trolls but its light is true and pure like you are"

He held the candle tight in his hands. "What about Ghorm?"

Astrid shook her head "I'm sorry Baelfire, this is all the help we can give you" a grim little expression hung on her face. She dreamed of happier days but in this reality it seemed that was not an option for some.

"Thank you, both" Baelfire said leading them back to the door. "Please watch after her"

Astrid nodded in agreement "the best care, Regina won't dare try anything else, not now when the whole town is guarding her"

Ruby gave him a small hug "careful in the woods" she said before walking out the door a bit wounded she was not able to make the trip with them. The two heroines left unsuccessful in their trip.

Hat in his hands Jefferson returned to the coffee table to attend to his daughter.

"Son, are you sure you want to go through with this? The swan princess can be very alluring..." Mr. Gold paused and looked his son in the eye "True love is a great magic of its own, are you willing to test that power?"

Baelfire looked down at the candle and back at his father. "Henry's book is filled with stories of great adventure. I've traveled, but nothing so worthy to be written down on a piece of paper. I thought I wasn't worthy of it"

Mr. Gold pulled the dagger out from a pocket in his wool duster. "You are worth 1000 stories my Bae" he held it up to the light, his name glistened, the dagger calling to the Dark One. He slid the dagger back into his coat quickly before Jefferson saw. "Happens your story will involve a silly little flower" his lip tilted up with a slight smirk.

Belle put down the tea cup and walked over to the two men standing by the door. Her touch was light and gentle placing her hand on Mr. Gold's shoulder. "I think we are about ready to go"

Mr. Gold turned to Belle "you are staying here" he said placing his hands in hers looking her straight in the face.

"No, I just found you" Belle's small smile formed into a frown.

"You heard what the fae said, wild things still out there, I can't risk you, both of you" he said stepping closer to her.

Belle's lip quivered as she thought about losing him again "I know you have to do this"

Gold brushed his nose against Belle's. His hands on her ivory face tracing every dimple. Maple hair mixed with sandy gray as Gold lightly pressed his forehead against hers. This was goodbye. If this was the last time he'd see his Belle he wanted her to know once in for all how important she was in his life. He whispered everything to her, poured his empty heart out to her. In his lonely life, after he lost Bae, he made countless deals all to benefit himself in the end. The deal he made with King Maurice had been his favorite of all. It had made him feel alive having Belle at the Dark Castle, and broke him when she left. He did not want to leave with an empty heart and chipped cup. Gold was going to do what he was unable to do in the other world. His lips moved closer to Belle's luscious peach lips.

Belle put a hand over his lips. "No" she spoke sternly stopping him from true love's kiss. "If you kiss me and lose your powers now then you'll be helpless in our world. This world needs its sorcerer imp. This town needs you right now; he needs you, and I need you, as you are. I understand that now." Belle pulled away from him. If love was a layered mystery then this was the bottom layer. "I love you, Rumplestiltskin. I'll wait for you." This was the only kind of goodbye she wanted to give the man that saved her.

Mr. Gold, anguish in his face, released Belle, possibly forever. "I love you, Belle" there was nothing more to say. They said goodbye and if he were to never return he could die happy knowing she really did love him.

Belle took a few steps over to where Bae waited. She embraced him in a kind hug. "I love you too Baelfire, from the moment I found out about you." Bae was not hers and in fact looked older than her but she loved him like a son anyway. She felt this way since the Dark Castle. Rumple never talked about his mother to her but she guessed it was not a happy parting. Part of her soul wanted to make up for whatever maternal time he had lost. "Please keep him close, he'll be a different person over there, and don't be afraid of his magic, it's for you"

"I will keep him close, but the magic is still cursed" Baelfire agreed with her, no one human had showed him more compassion in his life more than Belle. "You're the nicest step-mother I know" he smirked as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Time to go" Jefferson said, hat in hand.

Gold was still a little weary of leaving Belle alone with him, it was only her reassurance that he was on their side that lead himself to trust the hatter

The three adults followed behind Grace as she followed her father into what he called the hat room.

Grace hugged her father, he had promised he'd come back this time, and the little girl hoped he'd keep his word as she let go of him and back up to stand by Belle.

Jefferson tightened his grip on the hat standing in the middle of the room now "You may want to take a step back." He gave the hat a hard spin and set it on the ground. The hat swirled with colors of black and purple smoke rising into the air. The void opened widely.

Mr. Gold held his hand out to his son. "I won't let go this time"

Baelfire gripped his father's hand in his as the two jumped into the void. Jefferson jumped in after them taking the magic of the hat with him.

The three were dispersed in the middle of the large room of doors.

Baelfire stood in amazement of the doors. He stood taking the doors in until one green door caught his eye. Swift steps took him past Neverland and Narnia to stand before the emerald green door.

Mr. Gold let out a mischievous laugh. "Regina thought she destroyed everything, but it's all still here. She said nothing was left of our land, but I knew better."

"She only destroyed one world" Jefferson said a deep remorse in his voice as he glanced towards the once mirrored door of Wonderland. Ash and shattered glass were all that was left to the entrance of that land. Only Jefferson knew the horror Regina had plagued on Wonderland after Cora, the Queen of Hearts, sought to retrieve magic from her daughter. He walked towards the Fairyland door. "Here is home." The door to their home realm was carved from the first enchanted tree, green ivy branches twisting around the edges and on top the inscription Happily Ever After..

Baelfire raced his fingers over the door to Oz. The emerald blazed gleamed with light under his finger tips. He made a plan then, first he would get Emma back, and then he would take his Dorothy to ask the Wizard to cure his father. A hand came in front of his face. He blinked; the magic of Oz had entrapped him. He turned looking at his father.

"Destiny waits. No potion can bring back true love but maybe this little plant of Regina's will work." Mr. Gold said walking towards the door with Baelfire.

"This is where my path leaves you, just remember two in, two out, if something happens to one of you the other will be trapped forever. I'll be back at dusk every day to check for you" Jefferson said hat in hand ready to go back to Storybrooke. "Find the enchanted tree it will send you back here, good luck"

Baelfire placed his and on the door and opened it. His father was right behind him as the vortex opened and they were transported into the fairytale land.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I don't own Once/Oz/Disney. I wanted to toy with the second season idea of memory loss and crossing over to the other side. Rumple still has his memory because well he's the Dark One and had a hand in creating the curse. Also I wanted to toy the idea with a lost hero, Bae is on this hero's quest but what if you forgot what you are fighting for? The next two or three parts will be mostly father/son adventures, but I promise more Swanfire to come! I hope you like it, please read/review/follow/alert … thank you all so much!**

* * *

The vortex spit the pair out in the middle of the enchanted forest, or what was left of it. Regina and Rumplestiltskin's spell had destroyed over half the world. What wasn't land was a black void of darkness.

Rumplestiltskin looked down at himself, no longer was he Mr. Gold with the black suits and pink neck ties, now he was his former self clad in red alligator skin and black leather pants. He looked down at his boots "hmm feel a little tight." He gave a little crazy laugh before looking over at the man lying on the ground next to him. The man next to him he remembered was his son Baelfire. He bent down next to him. "Baelfire"

The man awoke from a hazy dream of a far off place. He opened his eyes to the sound of birds and the whistle of the wind. Baelfire looked up at Rumplestiltskin standing before him. He looked down at his tattered clothes and bare feet. Bae felt his face; a rough five o clock shadow grew there now. "Papa?" he spoke but it wasn't his voice it was a man's voice, deep and rusty with years he doesn't remember.

"Yes Bae" the imp squatted down next to his son. "Its ok son, you are back home now, we're back home"

"I don't understand. The last thing I remember Ghorm gave me the magic bean, we were going to a land without magic" Baelfire looked down at himself again, this strange form of a man he didn't remember growing into "I'm old now, how long has it been?" He could not remember the other world at all.

Rumplestiltskin stood up and held his hand out to his son. Baelfire took his hand reluctantly at first. He thought this could be a real chance for them to start over, forget Regina and her petty envy of the Snow princess, and be the dark king of the ogres and whatever humans managed to escape the curse here. Belle. He shut his eyes as a piercing pain came from his small broken heart; he had left his dear sweet Belle, the only thing that kept him tied to Storybrooke now. He touched the his son's clothes and they changed from a spinster man's tattered and torn garments to maroon and indigo shirt and pants, with black riding boots, clothes fitting of a royal.

"Hmm missing something..." Rumplestiltskin said looked around he plucked a cat tail plant and magically turned it into a silver sword. "There" he said handing it to Bae.

Baelfire held the sword in his hand, the object felt familiar to him, but he didn't know why. He took it in his right hand and swung it with force at the air and then placed the object in the holster at his side. "You are still cursed aren't you?"

"I'm afraid so son, I'm still the Dark One" Rumplestiltskin said a bit ashamed

"And what are we doing in the middle of the forest? Did we run from the knights?"

A smile crossed Rumple's face "this time we are not running from, we are running to something on the other side of the forest. Regina, an evil queen, hid a flower amongst the weeds, we have to find it" He started to make his way towards the deep woods. "This way"

Baelfire ran a hand through his hair and then started to walk to catch up to his father. "I don't understand, what's so important about this flower, let's just go back to the cottage, please"

"There is no cottage anymore, why have a cottage when you can have a castle?" Rumplestiltskin turned to his son "you have been a way a very long time, many things have changed"

"Did you magic the castle like you magic'd these clothes?"

"I made many deals for the castle" Rumplestiltskin said in a low tone

Baelfire caught up to Rumple and stopped him. "I have nothing of my life in between the bean and now. I only have my faith in you papa. I do not care how dangerous it is, promise magic will not be the answer to everything again like it was"

"I am a monster now son, what good is a promise of a monster?" He asked his son with such conviction.

"You are still my father, and I am lost without you." Baelfire said now he was the one reassuring his father of his love.

Rumplestiltskin held the man's gaze and he felt a bit more human in that moment. "No magic" he said shaking Baelfire's hand.

Baelfire wondered how long his father could keep from breaking this deal, but had no place to turn except to trust him. "Please tell me what happened?"

* * *

Henry sat at his mother's bed side with The Wonderful World of Oz. He looked up from the storybook and over to his grandmother. "Do you think when they bring the flower back it could help August too?"

"I'm not sure Henry; I know he was your friend. What happened to August was an all together different kind of magic." She could see the hurt on Henry's face. She placed her hand over her grandson's and squeezed it. "We'll find a way, never give up hope" Mary gave a faint smile and looked over at Emma lying in the hospital bed.

Henry continued to read aloud

_"All this time Dorothy and her companions had been walking through the_  
_thick woods. The road was still paved with yellow brick, but these_  
_were much covered by dried branches and dead leaves from the trees, and_  
_the walking was not at all good._

_There were few birds in this part of the forest, for birds love the_  
_open country where there is plenty of sunshine. But now and then there_  
_came a deep growl from some wild animal hidden among the trees. These_  
_sounds made the little girl's heart beat fast, for she did not know_  
_what made them; but Toto knew, and he walked close to Dorothy's side,_  
_and did not even bark in return."_

* * *

Rumplestiltskin had explained to his son the best he could about what happened to him in this world and the last. "You were very angry with me, and you have every right to be"

"And I was trapped in this other world, for many years, and that's how I aged?" Baelfire started to put all the pieces together but still had no memory of this other world.

Rumple nodded as they kept walking. "Yes, it's all true, I tricked the Queen into the curse to find you, and then Emma came and broke the curse"

"Emma, do I know her?" Baelfire asked that name sounded so familiar and yet he couldn't picture her.

"No son, but you will" he said with a faint smile as they continued on.

Bae noticed the trees around them all looked the same. "We've been walking in circles, it's going to be dark soon maybe we should stop"

Rumplestiltskin thought maybe he had been hard on his son. "The spell of the forest, it only seems that way, but if you insist we can take a break"

Baelfire rested his back against one of the large trees and closed his eyes.

He dreamed of himself at a younger age playing a game of tag with Maurine. He was chasing her through the forest. She stopped near a briar patch and Bae caught up to her. When he tagged her on the back she turned around, but it wasn't her it was another girl with piercing blue eyes and curly blonde hair, she pointed towards something in the patch but it was dark and he couldn't see. She was screaming but there was no sound coming out of her mouth. He was afraid something was out there after her, after him.

Rumplestiltskin shook his son awake. Bae gave a silent gasp looking as if he had a nightmare. It was dark now and the fairyland moon hung low in the sky. "Shhh"

A loud rumble could be heard, the sound getting closer and closer. The moonlight reflected off the metal armor of the trolls as they passed by. Three large, very wild beasts.

They're gone" Rumple said standing up again "time to move on, it's not safe here"

The two start to make their way west again but Baelfire can't shake the uneasy feeling. The trees feel as if they are closing in around them and a faint burning smell is in the air; the fog creped in around their feet as if it was grabbing at them.

"Keep moving Bae, it's the forest trying to slow us down" Rumple cautioned his son. He wanted so badly to use his magic, he could feel the dark one under his skin blistering to get out, but something even greater, a promise from here or the other world to contain his power prevailed for now.

"Father wait!" Baelfire called out falling behind again, the sword at his side getting caught on branches and twigs.

Rumplestiltskin paused turning, something wasn't right, and then out of no where the trolls were upon them. Ten monsters. The Dark One could have easily vaporized and disappeared from the trolls grasp but Baelfire was caught in between them. He thought about turning them all into slugs but the promise to Bae hung over his head.

Baelfire pulled out his sword in a daring attempt to fight the trolls off. He had no memory of growing up in this foreign land his father had told him about but some faint part of him knew the hilt felt at home in his right hand. Left, right, and right again, the sword made a low swoosh sound. Fighting off the trolls was hard but he succeeded in slicking into one of the beast's arms, the blood staining his silver sword, it growled and cursed at him. Another troll was behind him now and three in front. He could hear his father's own fighting several feet away.

Rumplestiltskin had produced his own sword, the only magic he would allow himself to use. He wanted to not be a monster anymore even if it meant dying for his son. He would fight them off as a man.

Bae pulled against them; he was not a coward, and if they were going to take him they would have to do it the hard way. The largest of the trolls grabbed Baelfire from behind. Bae struggled but it was no use, his sword fell to the ground.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin gave a crazy laugh as he was thrown into the trolls dungeon under the bridge. "Fools you can't hold me, I'm Rumplestiltskin!" But the bars were enchanted with an old spell.

Baelfire soon joined his father as they trolls shoved him in the muddy cell. He fell to the ground. The little silver key fell from the pocket of his pants resting on the floor. He stood up shaking the cell door. "LET US OUT"

"No use son, the door is enchanted" Rumple said "I'm sorry; this is the price of magic not even I can un-open"

Baelfire sighed; he slummed down again against the wall. All hope seemed to be lost at that moment, the darkness circling around them, no magic to save them. A princess forgotten.


End file.
